Alberta's auditor general says the government is preparing for a multibillion-dollar expansion of primary health care services without knowing if they work.
Merwan Saher says in his latest report that the province has never done a thorough study on their effectiveness, even though primary care networks have been around for seven years.
Saher also says there are no standard performance measures for  such clinics and that the rules are so loose they could, for example, meet rules for treating chronic diseases by simply handing out pamphlets.
Opposition politicians say the lack of research is appalling given that Premier Alison Redford wants to build 140 new family care clinics.
Family care clinics, like primary care networks, will use teams of medical professionals to treat patients so as to avoid clogged emergency wards.
The province currently has 40 primary care networks which are to receive $170 million from the government this year.