Medical Clinic Premises, Governance and Equipment Due Diligence in Alberta

1. Freeze the ownership, physicians and services

Document the proposed clinic owner, physicians and professional corporations, medical lead or contact, any accredited-facility Medical Director, custodians and affiliates, primary and specialty care, procedures, diagnostics, virtual care, uninsured services, products and allied providers. Record renovations and equipment moves.

The diligence result depends on the actual physicians, responsibilities, services, approvals, devices and premises. Do not reuse the seller's registry, accreditation or operating conclusion for a materially different buyer or clinical model.

• Clinic ownership
• Physician governance
• CPSA and AHCIP records
• HIA custody
• IPAC, MDR and accreditation
• Municipal and lease rights

2. Reconcile registry and physician responsibility

Obtain Medical Clinic Registry information and separately verify each physician's registration, practice location, professional corporation, scope and restrictions. Identify who directs and takes responsibility for staff, billing, advertising, quality, records and required CPSA notifications.

Clinic ownership does not transfer physician control of medical practice. A registry entry, former physician, medical lead or non-physician ownership contract does not authorize the buyer to practise medicine or direct clinical judgment.

3. Map approvals, accreditation and billing records

Identify every service or procedure requiring CPSA approval or facility accreditation, the responsible Medical Director where applicable, facility records, scope and change process. Separately map Alberta Health facility numbers, practitioner IDs, business arrangements, contract holders and accredited submitters.

These records serve different purposes. A seller's clinic registration, facility number, business arrangement, practitioner relationship or accreditation does not prove buyer approval or uninterrupted claims and services.

4. Control HIA records and information systems

Identify custodians and affiliates, information-sharing and information-manager agreements, successor-custodian arrangements, clinical and financial records, results, referrals, EMR, Netcare and connected systems, privacy impact work, access roles, audit logs, backups, retention, export and migration.

Keep identifiable patient information outside ordinary property diligence. Build a lawful custody, continuity, access and system-transition plan before treating data or software access as included in the transaction.

5. Test patient, staff and clean-soiled flows

Map accessible arrival, reception, waiting, examination, procedures, specimens, medications, clean supply, soiled devices, reprocessing, waste, staff, records and emergency response. Review acoustic and visual privacy, hand hygiene and worker safety.

Room count alone does not establish clinical suitability. The layout must support the services, patient population, privacy, infection-prevention, device and emergency practices actually proposed.

6. Audit devices, IPAC and MDR

List every reusable and single-use device, sterilizer, washer, refrigerator, emergency and monitoring system by serial number, owner, manufacturer instructions, service, calibration, testing, reprocessing, policies, staff training and assessment record.

CPSA's June 2026 clarification says clinics must comply with IPAC requirements from the start of operation even though a pre-opening IPAC assessment is not required. Reprocessing clinics are assessed after equipment and procedures are in place; seller evidence is not buyer readiness or a warranty.

7. Audit building systems and fit-out

Inspect electrical capacity, emergency power, data and security, HVAC and pressure relationships where relevant, plumbing and sinks, accessibility, acoustic privacy, floor loading, equipment supports, storage, signs, lighting, refrigeration alarms and emergency systems.

Installed systems can be landlord-owned, shared, undersized or specific to the seller's services. Compare plans, permits, commissioning and maintenance records to the actual suite and proposed construction.

8. Test multidisciplinary and shared-space controls

Map each physician and allied provider, rooms, schedules, reception, records, billing, deposits, equipment, advertising, supplies and management services. Identify which entity contracts with staff, vendors, the landlord and information managers.

Shared branding and reception do not erase physician responsibility, HIA custody, billing, accreditation or contractual duties. Confirm that use, access, records, insurance and lease rights support every provider and service.

9. Confirm municipal use and activities

Describe medical, diagnostic, procedural, rehabilitation, counselling, laboratory, imaging, product and allied-health activities separately. Obtain address-specific zoning, development, business, building, fire, accessibility, occupant-load and sign records.

Calgary's Health Care Service and Edmonton's Health Service definitions are starting points. The zone, approvals, floor area, devices, waste and alterations still require address-specific confirmation; prior operation is not buyer approval.

10. Audit lease and real-property rights

Review medical and allied-health use, privacy, signs, hours, after-hours access, devices, medications, waste, plumbing, electrical and HVAC, assignment, change of control, alterations, accreditation work and restoration. Compare controlled areas to the lease plan.

For owned property, investigate title, use, permits, condominium restrictions, condition, environment, taxes and capital needs separately. Specialized improvements are not automatically transferable or valuable to another occupant.

11. Build readiness gates and a dated record

For each gap, identify the physician, CPSA, Alberta Health, custodian, municipality, landlord or contractor, required evidence, deadline, cost and consequence. Recheck registry and professional records, HIA custody, billing setup, accreditation, IPAC/MDR, municipal, lease, liens and insurance before waiver and closing.

Possession of an equipped medical clinic does not authorize medical practice, AHCIP billing or patient-record access. This framework is educational and not medical, clinical, legal, privacy, accreditation, planning, engineering, appraisal or valuation advice; Commercially does not certify premises suitability.