Under the Canada Health Act, Alberta has a publicly administered and funded health care system that guarantees Albertans receive universal access to medically necessary hospital and health care services.
All eligible Alberta residents are covered under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) to access healthcare services. An eligible resident of Alberta is a person who is:
- Legally entitled to be or to remain in Canada and makes his/her permanent home in Alberta;
- Committed to being physically present in Alberta for at least 183 days in a 12 month period;
- Not claiming residency or obtaining benefits under a claim of residency in another province, territory or country;
- Any other person deemed by the regulations to be a resident not including a tourist, transient or visitor to Alberta.
Effective January 1, 2009, Albertans are no longer required to pay AHCIP premiums.
An Alberta Health Care card gives you access to the public health care system including medical checkups and hospital visits. Private clinics exist, but are permitted to perform only elective services not included as part of the primary care available through our health care system.
Alberta Health Services provides a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
The County of Newell is served by health care facilities in the City of Brooks and the Town of Bassano.
The Brooks Health Centre is an acute and continuing care facility. Core programs at the Brooks Health Centre include short stay surgical, pediatrics, 24-hour emergency ad ambulatory care services, obstetrics and community health.
- Brooks Health Centre
Bag 300, 440 - 3rd Street East
Brooks, Alberta, T1R 1B3
Tel: 403- 501-3232
Services provided at Brooks Community Health Services include: community nutrition program, early post-partum discharge, health promotion services, immunization services, prenatal classes, public health nursing, speech language pathology, speech language and hearing services as well as baby services.
- Community Health Services
440 – 3rd Street East
Brooks, Alberta
Tel: 403- 501-3300
Alberta Mental Health also has an office located in the City of Brooks.
- Alberta Mental Health Board
440 – 3rd Street East
Brooks, Alberta
Tel: 403-362-1252
After Hours Crisis Management Helpline: 1-800-408-5465
The Bassano Health Center has 4 acute care beds, 1 palliative care bed, 8 continuing care beds as well as 1 respite care bed.
- Bassano Health Centre
P.O. Box 120
608 - 5th Avenue
Bassano, Alberta, T0J 0B0
Service is provided based on a primary health care model and includes 2 physicians and 2 primary care nurses located on site.
The Health Center underwent renovations in late 1997 and the basement area was converted into a clinical area for physicians and a number of offices for members of an integrated multi-disciplinary team which will be providing a broad range of primary health services to the Bassano community. The area contains a newly renovated physical therapy department and an area for the visiting respiratory therapist. Locally one physical therapist, one physical therapist assistant and one occupational therapist provide therapy services.
Playfair Lodge
Playfair Lodge is a congregate, living facility serving functionally independent senior citizens 65 years of age and over. The Lodge provides housekeeping service, full meal service, laundry service, basic room furnishings, building security, 24 hour non-medical staffing and opportunities for socializing.
- Playfair Lodge - Newell Foundation
315 -7th Street Bassano, Alberta
Tel: 403-641-3000
For more information
- Alberta Health Care Insurance - The Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) is a publicly administered and funded health care system that guarantees Albertans receive universal access to medically necessary hospital and medical services. AHCIP forms, information on premium and drug assistance, answers to common questions and more are available at this site.
- Alberta Health and Wellness – Alberta’s Health and Wellness provides information about Alberta’s health care system including the forms needed for registration.
- Service Alberta – The Health Care Professional section of this Service Alberta site provides information for the wide variety of health professionals in Alberta – doctors, nurses, ambulance operators, and many others who provide services for the maintenance and improvement of health. Use this page to learn about Alberta Netcare, to look up Health Professionals, to find contact information for nursing homes and hospitals in Alberta, and much, much more.
- Alberta Health Services – Alberta Health Services provides a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans. Use this site to access information about specific health care facilities and to get the latest news relating to health care.
- Health Canada – The Health Canada site focuses on providing immigrants with information about health care coverage. It also contains good links to other helpful information on employment, health promotion, and more.
The County of Newell is home to the 
Dinosaur Provincial Park is home to the field station of the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta. Each year staff from the Royal Tyrell converge upon Dinosaur Provincial Park to begin an annual nine week dig that often uncovers exciting fossils from the past. As recent as 1993, three complete dinosaur skeletons were excavated in the park.
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