The critical role family physicians, teams and clinics played in the Calgary area’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is highlighted in an updated Primary Care Network infographic.

Member physicians, staff and teams cared for more than 77,000 patients during waves 1, 2 and 3, between April 2020 and July 2021. As a result, hospitalization rates in Calgary and the surrounding areas averaged around 3 per cent, the lowest in Alberta.

The Calgary area’s strategy, which is unique in Alberta, involved all seven PCNs working in partnership with public health, Alberta Health Services and community groups to create a single, coordinated plan to triage and treat patients. Several tools developed to support family physicians and clinics, including pathways, tele-advice and webinars, were scaled provincially.