Some Albertans will need a doctor's referral for PCR testing, province says

The Alberta government says it is changing how it tests people for COVID-19.

Starting next week, Albertans who need a PCR test to inform their medical treatment must have a referral from a health-care professional. The province says clinicians who can refer Albertans for PCR testing include physicians, nurse practitioners and some prescribing pharmacists.

Clinicians are to determine the best testing option for their patients, which could include rapid testing at home or in a clinic, in-clinic swabbing with the sample sent to the lab for PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing or a referral to an Alberta Health Services site for testing.

Physicians will also be required to request lab tests on their patients' behalf while using the Alberta Health Services online appointment booking system.

Noel Gibney, a University of Alberta professor emeritus of critical care medicine, said the government should not be making it more difficult to access tests.

"The timing of this is absolutely appalling," he said. "We're at the start of a seventh wave. There's no question about that.

"It's very similar, in some respects, to what the government did last year by trying to say, 'What's the problem here? The pandemic is over.' The pandemic is actually roaring ahead."

Dr. Dan Gregson, an infectious disease specialist with the University of Calgary, says he thinks the additional work will be a burden on health care providers and could slow down the process. 

"If I'm a rheumatology patient who's on some immunosuppressive therapy and I develop a runny nose, sore throat and fever, I'm going to have to call my physician's office, get a hold of them and then have them fax in a requisition." 

Self-referrals will still be available to people with symptoms who live or work in isolated Indigenous communities and workers in certain high-risk settings, such as health care, continuing care and correctional facilities.

Health Minister Jason Copping says in a statement that the changes would allow the province to direct its testing capacity toward those who are most at risk and allow health-care workers who were deployed to assessment centres during the pandemic to return to their regular roles.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, says Alberta can expect to see waves of COVID-19 continue into the fall.

"I would like to remind Albertans of the importance of monitoring for symptoms, staying home when sick and, for those eligible for treatment, quickly accessing rapid or PCR testing when sick," she said.

Alberta Health spokesperson Lisa Glover said there are some changes to process and locations, but testing for eligible Albertans will still be available in clinical settings, including AHS locations, primary care practices and urgent care clinics.

There are approximately 40 sites open and available for COVID-19 testing in the province, Glover said. Six of those are in Calgary.