Do I need a referral to see a family doctor in Calgary?

Short answer: no. In Alberta a referral is needed to see a specialist, not a family doctor. If a family physician is accepting patients, you can book directly – by phone or online – and your visit is covered by the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan.

What is covered, and what is not

• Covered: visits for illness, chronic conditions, prescriptions, check-ups, referrals to specialists, and medically necessary procedures. Bring your Alberta health card.
• Not covered: forms and notes (sick notes, driver medicals, insurance forms), some cosmetic procedures, and device-based wellness treatments. These are priced in advance and never a surprise.
• New to Alberta? Register for Alberta Health Care first; coverage is generally available from your first day of residence if you apply promptly.

What to bring to a first visit

• Your Alberta health card and a piece of photo identification.
• A list of your medications, or the bottles themselves.
• Anything that helps the story: past test results, a list of conditions in your family, and the questions you keep forgetting to ask.

How the family practice at Westside works

Dr. Sabah Jarullah is a family physician with a background in emergency and hospital medicine. He practises at Westside in West Springs alongside the dental clinic led by Dr. Zubaida Hussain, and the two share one chart. That matters more often than you might expect: jaw pain that turns out to be sleep-related, acid reflux showing up as tooth erosion, a medication affecting the gums, snoring that needs both a sleep test and a dental appliance. One clinic can look at the whole picture without sending you across the city.

The practice also runs a home sleep testing program, pain management, weight management and menopause care, and minor procedures – all physician-led, with the insured parts billed to Alberta Health Care.

Booking

New patients are welcome. Book online at any hour, or call the clinic during opening hours; if you are already a dental patient, the front desk can add a medical visit to the same trip. Evening and Saturday appointments are available, and there is free parking at the door.

This article describes general Alberta Health Care rules; coverage details for a specific service are confirmed at booking.