CALGARY — Health Link 811 is marking 25 years of service, a milestone that highlights its growth from a small call centre in Edmonton to a provincewide lifeline connecting Albertans with trusted health advice.
Launched on Sept. 19, 2000, with 40 staff, the service expanded across Alberta in 2003 and adopted the 811 number in 2015. Since opening, registered nurses and health professionals have handled 27 million calls, including more than 1.2 million in the past year — a 350 per cent increase from its first year of operation.
“Many things have changed over the years but our commitment to trusted health supports has remained constant,” said Kim Simmonds, CEO of Primary Care Alberta. “Our strong and mighty team of around 800 professionals is here to support Albertans live their best lives — and is always a call away.”
Health Link 811 now offers specialized services for dementia, parents and newborns, nutrition, rehabilitation, mental health and addiction. It also connects some callers directly with physicians through the Virtual MD program, while 911 operators redirect non-emergency calls to Health Link nurses to reduce strain on emergency departments.
The service has also been critical during crises, including wildfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic, when call volumes peaked at 12,000 in a single day.
Registered nurse Yvonne Ewanicke, who joined in 2001 and is now a director, said the service has become indispensable. “What started as a nursing service for one city is now available to every Albertan and supports almost every aspect of their health care journey,” she said.
For callers like Melissa McLeod, that support has been life-changing. McLeod, who feared she was having a heart attack, discovered through Health Link she was experiencing a panic attack and was guided through ways to manage her symptoms. “These nurses gave me strategies and support to help me manage my symptoms at home,” she said. “They truly are life savers.”
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