Dr. Christopher Lyddell

This post is of interest to my medical colleagues and people with an interest in advanced MSK US.
Dr. Carlo Martinoli from Genoa will be hosting an advanced three day Masters course in Toronto from the 26th to 29 October this year.
I have had the priviledge of being taught my this good man and his team on quite a few occasions, his CV is extensive, he has authored numerous books, published widely, has a great You Tube channel and is a gifted teacher. I strongly advise anyone who has the opportunity to attend to do so and register early, space is limited and Toronto in the fall is beautiful.

At the moment registration is open to Canadians but soon general registration will open.

I would strongly recommend that anybody with an interest in advanced musculoskeletal ultrasound consider attending this course, Dr. Martinoli is a world authority and certainly one of the most outstanding teachers I've ever had the privilege of listening to.

Below is the link to the course.

CRUS Advanced Course – Canadian Rheumatology Ultrasound Society Canadian Rheumatology Ultrasound Society - Canadian Rheumatology Ultrasound Society

The final clinic was completed in Grand Prairie in October 2023, unfortunately I am no longer going to be able to provide ongoing visiting services to the Grand Prairie community but I certainly remain committed to providing care to all of the people I have seen and who are able to come down and see me in Edmonton.

I do understand that there are a number of people who will find it difficult if not impossible to travel and will require services, it is my hope that I will, in conjunction with primary care practitioners and the specialist community in Grand Prairie be able to provide that care by means of virtual contact, telephone and if indicated, video.

We are equipped to provide video consultative services, I can always send an email link to prospective clients and patients were not able to travel and we can set that service up, please let our office staff know if this is a service you require.

It is my hope that in the future we are able to once again provide visiting services and hopefully at some stage a full-time rheumatology service however realistically the healthcare system will not be able to recruit a full-time rheumatologist, this is something that I have been trying to achieve but regrettably that has not been successful.

It is extremely important that patients make sure the prescriptions are up-to-date, I do my best to ensure that renewals were sent to pharmacies timeously and that you are always in position of laboratory requisitions which in most circumstances are sent to regional collection services in your local communities but there will be times when perhaps this does not happen and it is my request that everybody ensure that everything is up-to-date.

I am also extremely concerned about the number of people in Northern Alberta who are without primary care practitioners, this is a problem throughout Alberta and in fact throughout Canada at the moment. The provincial government, the administrative arm of Alberta Health Services and the Alberta Medical Association are aware of the problem unfortunately there is no quick solution and this is I fear going to be a situation that persists for quite some time possibly years before being resolved. Please keep in touch with the primary care network who hopefully will have a list of practitioners taking on new patients as opportunities arise but I certainly understand that is not going to satisfy the current need and also what is of concern is the number of people who are moving into the region. The system is under a great deal of strain at the moment, I think we are all familiar with that.

I just want to take this opportunity to my sincere appreciation to all the people involved in enabling this clinic to operate as well as it has over the course of the past 5 years.

This includes the Primary Care Network staff, both administrative and medical who provided an office and an infrastructure for us to work out of, to Mr. Call Linden, a business leader in the community of Grand Prairie whose group of companies covered a lot of the costs for the clinic and those were considerable, the ultrasound machine travel expenses and staff overheads all had to be paid. Lastly but far from least, my wife Olena who gave up her weekends to work as front office medical office administrator.

To the staff of the Quality Inn who did their best to provide us with comfortable accommodation and the staff of Mr. Mike's steakhouse.

Driving home on a special thanksgiving weekend back to Edmonton from Grande Prairie where we have just completed our final visiting clinic!! Five years to the month, it has been a privilege to be of service and our special thanks to all those who made it possible!!
The Grande Prairie PCN for providing space, Mr. Carl Linden and his business group for covering the lease on the Ultrasound machine and helping with overhead costs and the staff of the Quality Inn and Suites in GP for keeping us comfortable and well rested, the staff of Mr. Mikes for keeping us fed at times too well fed!! Above all to the patients of the Peace Region, we will continue our efforts to try and ensure that we get Rheumatology care to the North again, it is going to take time but we will persist.
Happy thanksgiving to everyone, we all have so much to be thankful for.

Greetings to everyone!!
This is just to confirm the Grande Prairie clinic is scheduled and confirmed. We are starting at 08-30am tomorrow, 23rd June 2023.
We have an very busy three days I will do my best to be on time and ask everyone to please be on time esp out first patients.
For any info please consult the website
www.lyddell.com
Info for first visits, clinic location is all there.
There is a mobile number that will operate only during clinic hours if any help is needed:

+1 (780) 616-3811

Look forward to seeing everyone.

Home - Dr. C Lyddell About Dr. Lyddell My interest in Musculo-Skeletal imaging actually started in Cape Town, early in my career, during a visit to Oxford and Leeds in the United Kingdom. I have been fortunate enough to continue and foster that passion here in Canada… Read More >

Greetings everybody just a reminder that this is Grand Prairie clinic weekend, clinic starts at 08 30 on Saturday morning and continues until Sunday evening.

We have contacted everybody just with reminders I would ask if everybody could please arrive on time as we do have a very busy schedule particularly if you are the first patients on Saturday and Sunday.

You should have received confirmation messages with the website link for any information on the website particularly advice for first time visitors and also there is a Geo tag which you can use for directions to the clinic, I would advise people to use Google maps we have had some problems with other Geo locators.

I would ask people who are coming to the clinic for the first time just to have a look at the website particularly that information for first-time visit is as it will provide you with some useful information.

https://goo.gl/maps/6b42ePkdHkkF4SneA

Grande Prairie Primary Care Network · 11745 105 St #104, Grande Prairie, AB T8V 8L1, Canada ★★☆☆☆ · Non-profit organization

Greetings everyone, just an update to the Grande Prairie Clinic Schedule:
We have a very busy schedule this weekend starting at 0800 am on Saturday. Please arrive at the clinic 15 mins before yur appointment, the PCN does require masks in the clinic.
Please refer to the Website for some useful information, especially the geotag for the clinic location and the link below for some tips on preparing for your first visit!!

GEOTAG for google maps
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/53.4345816,-113.5747642/11745+105+St,+Grande+Prairie,+AB+T8V+7L8/@54.3145237,-118.3918045,7z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m9!4m8!1m1!4e1!1m5!1m1!1s0x539093ffda3f016b:0x44b2063d265a609b!2m2!1d-118.808117!2d55.1870921

Website link for info prior to your visit.
https://lyddell.com/patients/about-your-first-visit/

Here is the upcoming clinic schedule for the visiting Rheumatology clinic in Grande Prairie for 2022.

There is a lot of pressure on the clinics for the coming months and unfortunately the wait times are growing so if there is any opportunity for you to come down to Edmonton and be seen, please call the Edmonton office and we will do our best to try and accommodate you.

March 4th, 5th and 6th 2022

April 30th and May 1st 2022

May 21st and May 22nd 2022

NO CLINIC IN JUNE 2022

July 30th and July 31st 2022

August 27th and August 28th 2022

September 17th and September 18th 2022

October 29th and October 30th 2022

November 26th and November 27th 2022

Google Maps Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

Grande Prairie Clinic Schedule

Here is the upcoming clinic schedule for the visiting Rheumatology clinic in Grande Prairie for 2022.

There is a lot of pressure on the clinics for the coming months and unfortunately the wait times are growing so if there is any opportunity for you to come down to Edmonton and be seen, please call the Edmonton office and we will do our best to try and accommodate you.

March 4th, 5th and 6th 2022

April 30th and May 1st 2022

May 21st and May 22nd 2022

NO CLINIC IN JUNE 2022

July 30th and July 31st 2022

August 27th and August 28th 2022

October 1st and October 2nd 2022



The clinics will be held at the offices of

Grande Prairie Primary Care

Oak Ridge Business Centre

11745 – 105th St

Grande Prairie, T8V 8L1.

During clinic hours we have a local telephone number that will connect you directly with the clinic, this only operates during the clinic hours:

780-296-2082

Now, I would like to mention that the re-establishment of the Rheumatology services and the donation of the State of the Art, General Electric S8 Ultrasound has been made possible by the generosity of a local business man in Grande Prairie, Mr. Carl Linden. Our sincere appreciation for the generosity in making this possible for our patients in Northern Alberta.

AN IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ALL PATIENTS CURRENTLY ON HUMIRA . The government of Alberta and Alberta Blue Cross (Non group plans and ASEBP), have mandated that this drugs be switched to the equivalent bio similar drugs. This move is not unique to Canada and will hopefully achieve significant savings to the already strained provincial drug budget! All patients on these drugs will be contacted for an appointment and I will discuss this with you individually, please try to accommodate us when we call you, if you are able to travel to Edmonton we will accommodate you with pleasure, this move has to completed by THE END May 2022 for HUMIRA.

It has also come to our attention that some of the private plans are also encouraging switches to Biosimilars. We have completed the first phase for Alberta Blue Cross and I am happy to say we have not had and problems, if your private plan does notify you of intention to switch, please let me know.

Update for Edmonton and Grande Prairie September 2021

Greetings everyone, this is an updated news item for our clinics in Edmonton and Grande Prairie.

EDMONTON

My apologies for the delay but we have been very busy with the planning of a new medical clinic in Windemere, South West Edmonton which has at long last come to fruition.

The development of the clinic and the final move date has unfortunately been delayed due to a number of factors that have affected virtually every new construction and renovation during the current pandemic. Shortages of basic materials has been one of the most problematic but I’m happy to say that at long last the clinic is just about complete and should be ready on 13 September.

We have developed the clinic from the ground up and hopefully will provide a very comfortable environment for all of our patients.

The clinic will be located inside the Windermere Health and Businesses Center which is located at:

6055 Andrews Way
Edmonton Southwest, Alberta T6W 3S9

Geotag below
https://www.google.com/maps/place/6055+Andrews+Way+SW,+Edmonton,+AB+T6W+3S9/@53.4297104,-113.5936437,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x539ff588155ad541:0x11d4c3752da95dfc!8m2!3d53.4297072!4d-113.591455

The clinic is in the Windermere area of Southwest Edmonton, it is very easily accessible from the Anthony Henday Highway, the exit ramp from both East and West approach Is Rabbit Hill Rd, a very useful landmark is the large Sentinel storage facility.

There is ample parking at the clinic.

Now, I would request that all people visiting the clinic make themselves aware of the requirements laid down by Alberta Health Services regarding the compulsory use of masks in all public places as well as healthcare facilities. As you are aware we still have increasing numbers of patients being infected with Covid most of the people being infected at the moment and vaccinated so again it is my appeal that those who not vaccinated consider getting themselves vaccinated. We would appreciate if patients came to the clinic unaccompanied, we will not under any circumstances be able to accommodate accompanying individuals except a translator if necessary and a carer for a patient requiring care during the visit.

Any other accompanying people will be required to wait outside and we will try to limit the number of people at any one point in time in the clinic in accordance with current regulations.

I do request everybody to please be on time particularly if you’re the first patient of the day, please review the first visit guidelines https://lyddell.com/patients/about-your-first-visit/ please feel free to complete the new patient form which can be found on the website, that can be submitted prior to your visit. https://lyddell.com/resources/new-patient-form/ I do ask that you please make it easy for me to access the areas that I will need to examine. All patients will undergo a physical examination and most patients will undergo an ultrasound examination of hands, wrists possibly feet and ankles so dressing in layers is always worthwhile and if patients are going to have shoulders examined please make sure that I have access to those areas, for the ladies it is easier to wear a strapless bra.

This is certainly an exciting time and I am so looking forward to the new facility that I’m sure will provide a comfortable environment for your visit.

GRANDE PRAIRIE

The clinics in Grande Prairie are ongoing, the schedule for the two next clinics has been published and will be in September as well as October.

With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Northern Alberta particularly Grande Prairie and of that the clinic is held within the primary care network it is mandatory that all patients were masks throughout the visit and please note that you will be screened prior to entering the primary care network. If you’re feeling unwell or would like to avail yourself to a virtual consultation please let us know and I will do my best to accommodate you.

I do suspect that we will be facing an increasing number of cases over the course of the next few months so please my appeal to everyone who is not vaccinated is to consider getting vaccinated as soon as possible and please pay attention to the basic principles of sanitation social distancing and care and respect for everyone around you.

Should patients wish to avail themselves to virtual consultations I’m always happy to accommodate you wherever possible however in the setting of the first consultation I really do advise that this be a video consultation rather than just a telephone consult.

Virtual consultations are held through Medeohealth, www.medeohealth.com should you wish to register for medeo please let me know and I will arrange for a link to be sent through to you. Video consultations are certainly a much better way to go than just a telephone consultation as it does give me the opportunity to introduce myself and above all perform certainly limited physical examination by means of video. It also enables secure exchange of documentation rather than Email and or fax.

Medeo | Telemedicine software | Patient Messaging | Online Booking Medeo is a secure application that enables Healthcare Providers and patients to connect onlinewith video appointments, secure messaging, and online booking

Greetings everyone,
My apologies for the silence over the past few months, we have been busy with the project of building our new office suite, a very exciting project I have dreamt of for years, well, now almost complete.
We have had the expected delays with our current pandemic, mainly problems getting materials. Anyway, completion is around the corner!!
We hope to open on the 13th September 2021!
I will be updating the website in the next few days as well.
Our contact details remain the same!! Only change is the physical location!!
The Grande Prairie clinics are ongoing the September clinic will be the
18th and 19th (Saturday and Sunday)
October clinic
16th and 17th (Saturday and Sunday).
We will confirm appointments with everyone and you will receive text confirmation.
Preferred contact at this point is email, easier for us to reply.
Our telephones will switch over on the 9th 10th of September.
Please, if possible attend the appointment by yourself, if a chaperone or translator is accompanying you, please let us know!!
Face covering during medical consults is advised as per AHS guidelines!!
Look forward to seeing everyone in the new facility!!