Primary Care Alberta has expanded access to its Health Link 811 service.
Albertans who need to connect with a nurse for non-urgent health advice or information can now chat online with a live nurse. Individuals who prefer talking over the phone can request a call back through the Primary Care Alberta website.
Officials said the new options make accessing trusted health advice more convenient, especially for people who prefer using technology or want to avoid waiting on the phone.
“People want reliable health advice in ways that fit their lives,” said Kim Simmonds, the CEO of Primary Care Alberta.
“By offering online chats and callbacks, we’re removing barriers and giving patients more control over how and when they connect in with us about their health concerns.”
To begin utilizing the new service, patients open the new ‘Contact Health Link’ widget on the Primary Care Alberta website’s home page. From there, they can select the ‘Health Information Chat’ or ‘Nurse Callback’ options.
The ‘Health Information Chat’ connects patients with a health information nurse in real-time. That service is available from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and can be done over the computer, a tablet or mobile device.
Patients can ask questions about topics like immunizations, medications, symptoms, health care coverage, and finding a family doctor.
The service will be extended to seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on May 20.
Meanwhile, the ‘Nurse Callback’ option means patients do not need to stay on hold and can continue their day while waiting for a registered nurse to call them back.
If a patient’s concerns are urgent or emergent, they should call a different service, like a Poison Control Centre, visit an urgent care facility, go to an emergency department, or call 911. In 2025, Health Link 811 received over one million calls.
To access the new expanded services, visit the Primary Care Alberta website.
