While this disruption is inconvenient, this upgrade is long overdue—and we are genuinely pleased to see AHS investing in modernized equipment for our community.

Important: Hospital X-ray will be reserved for hospital patients only

During the renovation period, the hospital will have limited X-ray capacity (mobile equipment with basic exams only).
We have been advised that this limited X-ray service will be reserved for hospital patients only, including:

• Emergency Department (ER)
• Acute Care
• Long-Term Care (LTC)

No outpatient/community X-ray appointments will be available at the hospital during this time.
This means that any X-rays ordered by our clinic/physicians will need to be completed outside of Drayton Valley until local outpatient access resumes.

If your clinician determines you need an X-ray during this period:

• We will send your requisition to an out-of-community imaging site, or provide you with instructions on where to go.
• Please plan for possible travel time and appointment availability at receiving sites.

AHS has noted that full Diagnostic Imaging services are available at alternate facilities including (but not limited to):
Rocky Mountain House Health Centre, Rimbey Hospital & Care Centre, and Wetaskiwin Hospital & Care Centre.

What the hospital can do during renovations (for hospital patients)

AHS advises that during the renovation window, the hospital’s mobile unit can complete basic X-rays only, including:

• Chest
• Upper extremities (upper arm to fingers)
• Lower extremities (lower leg to toes)
• Shoulders and knees (trauma only)

Some studies are very limited and may depend on clinical need and patient factors (for example abdomen, some shoulder views, small hips/pelvis, cervical spine). AHS also notes that many other exams cannot be performed at the site during this period.

Update on the former ACMS X-ray clinic

At this time, there are also no X-ray services available at the former ACMS X-ray clinic. It remains closed while legal matters are ongoing. We understand there is hope it may reopen under new management in the near future, and we will keep the public informed as soon as we have confirmed details.

Thank you for your patience

We recognize how disruptive this is for patients and families. We appreciate everyone’s patience during this transition, and we are optimistic that the end result will be improved imaging services for Drayton Valley.

If you have questions about an X-ray requisition or where to go, please contact our clinic.
For emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

I would like to thank you for the honor of providing you with medical services during the time I began practice in Drayton Valley and Evansburg in October 1987. It is certainly sad to say goodbye, but the medical practice will continue in both sites and we have the fortune of some new doctors to join the practice.

When new doctors open their panels, we encourage you to book a Meet & Greet Appointment as directed by the respective clinic. We are looking into options for the continued coverage of Evansburg Long Term Care facility. I will endeavor to provide you with an extended prescription during the transition period, at your request and where it is appropriate. If you find a doctor outside of the community and wish to have your chart transferred, please request this via a signed chart request from your new clinic.

If you have any questions, please reach out to contact us.

I wish you continued good health and happiness for the future, and it was a pleasure knowing you as a patient.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Michael R. Murphy

Follow these simple steps to get started:

1. Download the App

• Get the CHR Connect App from the App Store (for iOS devices) or Google Play Store (for Android devices).

1. Create an Account or Log In

• New users: Sign up using your email, Google, or Apple account. (Note: Use the same sign-in method every time.)
• Existing users: Simply log in with your credentials.

1. Link Your In-Clinic Chart

• Enter your legal name (not preferred name), date of birth, and Alberta Health Care Number (no dashes or spaces) to connect your clinic chart to the app.

1. Attach to Shale Medical

• Search for “Shale Medical” in the app and click the “+” sign to add our clinic.

1. Enable Notifications and Broadcasts

• Go to the app’s settings and turn on notifications and broadcasts. This ensures you’ll receive updates about new doctors and appointment availability.

For more detailed guidance, check out the official setup guide from the app developer.

Explore More App Features

Once you’re set up, you can use CHR Connect to:

• Book Same-Day Appointments
• Available from midnight (12 AM) each day for urgent needs. Select “Same Day Clinic” as the reason and type to see available times.
• Book with Any Available Doctor or Medical Resident
• Schedule non-urgent visits up to one month in advance. Choose your reason (e.g., prescription refill, follow-up) and select “Office Visit,” “Medical Resident,” or “Any Available Doctor” based on your needs.
• Manage Family Members
• Add children 12 and younger to a parent’s account. Kids 13+ need their own account with a unique email address.

Need Assistance?

If you run into any questions or need help with setup, we’re here for you! Drop by Shale Medical Clinic, and our staff will do their best to assist you when they’re available.

Please note that the CHR Connect App is provided by TELUS Health and is used by our clinic to facilitate appointment bookings and communication. While we utilize this platform to keep you informed and connected, any technical issues or app-related concerns should be directed to TELUS Health Support.

Don’t Wait – Act Now!

Thank you for being part of our healthcare family! We’re excited to help you connect with your Clinic. Register on the CHR Connect App today and enable notifications. Let’s make your healthcare journey as smooth as possible!

We are pleased to announce that after a successful trial period, the Acute Knee Injury Clinic is expanding its services and now accepting SELF-REFERRALS from clients!

While your health professional or physician can still refer you, it is no longer required to access this service.

To book an appointment, please email:
kneeclinic@shalemedical.ca

Reminder of eligibility criteria:
Recent knee injury within the past 6 weeks (this service does not currently manage chronic knee issues)
Pain at the time of injury or shortly thereafter
Client age under 65 years (older clients are encouraged to see their physician due to more complex needs)
Injury is NOT related to WCB or a workplace event

We look forward to helping you get back on your feet!

#KneeClinic #InjuryCare #NowAcceptingSelfReferrals

With Courtney we are excited to introduce our new Acute Knee Injury Clinic at Shale Medical—a streamlined, comprehensive solution for patients with acute knee injuries. Referred patients will consult with both the Athletic Therapist and the overseeing Physician to develop a diagnostic and management plan.

The service offers:

• Comprehensive Initial Assessments and recovery follow-up appointments
• Thorough Evaluations, including imaging orders when necessary
• Personalized Treatment Plans, featuring bracing and customized rehabilitation programs
• Consultation Reports, referring providers will receive written reports/updates for each visit
• Referral to Specialists, direct referrals from the knee clinic to specialty services when required

Referral Criteria: 

• Clinical Criteria:
  • Acute knee injury within the past 6 weeks,
  • Pain present at time of injury,
  • Age less than 60yrs old
  • Not WCB/MVA related.
• A referral from a clinical provider (such as a Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Physiotherapist etc) is required. Patient self-referrals are not currently accepted.

The clinic will initially run weekly, with additional days added based on demand. To ensure rapid access, we will target that all new knee injuries will be seen within 1 week.

This service is funded in part by Alberta Health through the “Rural Team Based Grant“. 

Missed/Cancelled appointments due to the evacuation are being rescheduled on a priority basis. All appointments between Friday 5th and this coming Friday 19th are being rescheduled from Tuesday 23rd onwards. Existing appointments from 23rd May onward remain unaffected.

Tuesday 16th: Phone lines open 9am-4:30pm for bookings, rescheduling, enquiries etc.

Wednesday 17th to Friday 19th (9am-Noon and 1:30-4:30PM): Clinic will be open via Same-Day appointment or Walk-in. Those with a same-day appointment will be prioritized. We will have 5-6 doctors available per day attending to any and all in the community.

Dr Ahmed Elfurgi

Dr. Ahmed Elfurgi is a family physician who received his medical degree from The University of Tripoli medical faculty in Libya in 2013. He completed his postgraduate training in 2016 and has since gained significant experience in rural general family medicine and emergency medicine.

Dr. Elfurgi is a registered medical practitioner with the Libyan General Medical Council and the Medical Council of Canada. He has a keen interest in family medicine and is dedicated to providing comprehensive medical care to patients.

Recently, Dr. Elfurgi moved to Canada and has settled in Drayton Valley. With his broad experience and passion for his profession, he aims to contribute to the healthcare sector in his new community and provide the best possible care to his patients.

Dr Youssef Jadi

Dr. Youssef Jadi is a family physician who was born and raised in Libya. He obtained his medical degree from the prestigious University of Tripoli in 2010, after which he pursued postgraduate training at the Tripoli Medical Center, where he completed his training in 2012.

With a strong background in family and emergency medicine, Dr. Jadi has been practicing as a family physician since 2012. During his years of professional experience, he has developed a keen interest in the field of family medicine and has excelled in providing patient-centered care to his clients.

In 2021, Dr. Jadi made the move to Canada and is now settled in Drayton Valley. He hopes to make a positive contribution to the local health system and use his knowledge and experience to benefit the community. With his dedication, passion, and commitment to excellence, Dr. Jadi is sure to be a valuable asset to the medical community in Drayton Valley and beyond.

Breton Medical Centre

Dr Elfurgi and Dr Jadi will also be providing community medical services at the AHS Breton Medical Centre once a week commencing in July 2023.

New Patient Registration

For new patients wishing to register with Dr Jadi and Dr Elfurgi please click the link below.

We are pleased to announce that our new Patient Portal is now active. Patient portal currently allows existing patients to:

1. Book/cancel/modify appointments with their own physician.
2. Received secure messaging from your physician/health team.
3. [Additional features are being added soon]

Clinic Hours Adjustment – 1 September 2022

Please take note that the clinic will be closed from 1PM tomorrow, Thursday 1 September. Our doctors will be attending training at the Drayton Valley Hospital for the new provincial medical system. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

New Patient Registrations to Remain Closed

We regret that we remain unable to accept new patient registrations at this time. If you require assistance finding a family physician please visit: Find a Doctor

1. Walk-in clinic is now “Same Day Clinic”, we will no longer accept walk-ins off the street. Patients must pre book for an available same day appointments via our website. There will now be availability for morning and afternoon time slots.

2. We are temporarily suspending new patient registrations at this time, we anticipate reopening these in September 2022.

We are excited to announce the upgrading our health management and bookings software. As of 4 July 2022 we are migrating all of our 12,000+ patient charts to the new InputHealth system by Telus Health.

Input Health CHR (Collaborative Health Record) is a feature rich, modern electronic health record and will be a key aspect of our goal in providing high quality health care moving forward. For more information on InputHealth CHR: https://www.telus.com/…/cli…/collaborative-health-record

Training Days:

Our Staff and Physicians will be involved in new system training sessions as follows:

4 July 2022 – 8am to 1pm

5 July 2022 – 8am to 1pm

Please note our phone lines will be CLOSED during training hours.

Walk in Clinic Adjustments:

4-6 July 2022 – CLOSED – No walk-in service available due to system changes.

7 July 2022 – Walk in clinic re-opens. Online booking via www.shalemedical.ca (no longer on SkiptheWait)

We appreciate your ongoing support and patience during this period of upgrading.

The Shale Medical Team.