YELLOWKNIFE (December 1, 2025) – The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) is pleased to share information about changes that have been implemented that will make laboratory (lab) test orders simpler and more efficient.

The new change, which is in effect now, will mean when physicians in Alberta order lab tests that need to be collected in the Northwest Territories (NWT) - which often happens for NWT patients who have recurring appointments with an Alberta specialist - there will no longer be the need to book a follow up appointment to have your lab requisition form confirmed and/or re-written.

What this means for patients:

• If you see a physician in Alberta who orders follow up laboratory test, you won’t need to book another appointment with a physician in the NWT to confirm or re-write the laboratory requisition form. Instead, you can book an appointment directly with the lab in your home community to have lab tests completed.
• The laboratory test results will go straight to the physician who ordered the test, which is usually the Alberta specialist, so they can follow up in a timelier manner.

This change is important because it will ensure Alberta physicians have better access to a patient’s full laboratory history, in one place, helping them track changes over time and provide better care. Patients and Alberta providers will also be encouraged to send a copy of the results to the NWT physician and/or community health clinic so that these results are also reported in the NWT electronic medical records.

Other benefits of this new process include:

• Fewer unnecessary appointments with physicians, freeing up appointment slots at your local health clinic.
• Reduces paperwork and errors from rewriting lab forms, minimizes delays in transferring information, and decreases confusion about where to send results, especially during patient transfers.
• A smoother experience for patients and faster access to expert advice about test results.

This change makes the laboratory testing process easier for patients and healthcare providers in the NWT and Alberta and supports ongoing efforts by the NTHSSA to work with stakeholders, including partner agencies such as Alberta Health Services (AHS), to streamline processes and support workflows across the system.

For media requests, please contact:

NTHSSA Communications 
nthssacomms@gov.nt.ca