AHS Research Resources

If your study has REB approval and if the study requires access to Alberta Health Services resources including patient health data, recruitment support from AHS departments, and access to operational areas for clinical research you will require an administrative approval from the health system access team. 

For more information on the administrative approval process visit Alberta Health Services - Administrative Approval Process.

You can view the status of your Health System Access application through IRISS. Once you've submitted the AHS module in IRISS, you'll find the status visible in the application workspace sidebar menu. For more details regarding the application timeline, reach out to your designated HSA Advisor for your study.

The Health System Access team handles the operational approval process for the North Zone, South Zone, Central Zone, and Calgary Zone in Alberta. To request operational approval, submit your request using the AHS module in IRISS. For studies involving AHS sites in the Edmonton Zones, operational approvals are managed by the Northern Alberta Clinical Trials + Research Centre (NACTRC). For more information, visit the NACTRC webpage.

To facilitate operational approval by our HSA team we ask researchers to clearly state the purpose of their operational request and explain why they need access to specific resources or facilities within Alberta Health Services (AHS). The information listed below may be helpful to include in your application: 

• The number of subjects from the specific area and the timeframe for study activities. 
• Clear inclusion and exclusion criteria. 
• Description of study activities expected to take place in the clinical area (chart review, patient interviews, clinical testing). 
• Clarify any AHS clinical equipment or storage space required for study purposes. 
•  Any assistance that may be required from clinical staff (AHS nurses, Unit Clerks), and/or AHS managers including recruitment support.
• Recruitment processes in AHS operational areas. 
• Explanation of the training that will be provided to AHS staff to support research activities. 

Netcare is a clinical system owned by Alberta Health, and the terms established by AHS limit it to clinical purposes only. To qualify for Netcare access, your study must meet eligibility criteria established by Alberta Health. Patient consent is required as well as a determination that Netcare is required for the care and safety of research participants. For more information regarding Netcare eligibility criteria please visit the Alberta Netcare - Using EHR Data for Research webpage. 

In the IRISS AHS module, use the comments section to specify which AHS units/clinics will be impacted by your clinical research. Clearly outline the research activities taking place at each AHS site (Ex. recruitment, consenting, or study procedures).

All Research Ethics Board (REB)-approved studies are reviewed and, for Connect Care access, approved by the AHS Health System Access (HSA) team as follows. Eligibility for Connect Care access varies based on study details and data requirements:

1. For newly REB-approved studies: The research team will receive a notification to complete the HSA intake form through IRISS. After submitting the form, an HSA team member will contact you to discuss Connect Care access and the next steps.
2. For ongoing studies: If a study has administrative approval but was not included in the initial Connect Care setup or if the study’s needs have changed, request Connect Care setup by contacting the HSA advisor assigned to your study or emailing Research.Administration@ahs.ca.

If your study has already received administrative approval and you want to add a new study coordinator, first ensure they are added to the REB application before submitting a Health System Access request. After receiving HSA administrative approval, complete the HSA IT Access Request for Research Form to request Connect Care access and an AHS network account. After form submission, an HSA team member will email the Connect Care training details and requirements. Once the required training is completed, the new study coordinator will receive Connect Care access as approved by HSA.

The training and access requirements for Connect Care depend on the role assigned to you. Use the Connect Care Role Selector Tool to identify the appropriate role(s) needed for your research. Once your study is approved, a member of the Health System Access team will email the research team with additional training details.