The New Brunswick government has unveiled a new strategy containing six key priorities to enhance the province’s healthcare system. Health Minister John Dornan emphasized the importance of ensuring every resident in the province has access to a family doctor. Dornan expressed his vision of achieving a state where all New Brunswickers have primary care to prevent illnesses and reduce hospital visits.
The government, under Premier Holt’s leadership, is focusing on establishing collaborative-care clinics as a central aspect of this initiative. Currently, six clinics have been set up, with plans to add at least four more by year-end and a target of having 30 such clinics by 2028.
These clinics will offer a mix of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, and mental health specialists, tailored to the specific needs of each community. Presently, only 77% of New Brunswickers have a primary-care provider, with the government aiming to increase this to 79% by year-end and 85% by 2028.
While the effectiveness of the new clinics is yet to be quantified, Dornan, a former Horizon Health Network CEO, has been receiving positive feedback indicating that these clinics are already making a positive impact. The strategy’s six priority areas include primary care, workforce, seniors, urgent care, mental health and addictions, and connected services.
Premier Holt emphasized that the five-year health plan is designed to ensure effective and timely care for patients. Dornan highlighted that the next crucial focus is on providing respectful care for seniors, addressing the current long waitlist for nursing home beds and enhancing community health support.
Holt further noted the importance of improving support services for seniors living independently, such as the Nursing Home Without Walls program. Additionally, Holt underscored the significance of connected care, stressing the need for healthcare professionals to have access to patients’ electronic medical records to deliver integrated and effective care. Initiatives like MyHealthNB are empowering patients by granting them digital access to their health information.
