A new health initiative announced on Monday will provide better access to health care services for New Brunswickers currently without access to primary health care.
Starting in early 2022, patients registered to Patient Connect NB can schedule an in-person or virtual appointment with a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Health records will be managed and maintained electronically to ensure continuity.
Over the next two years, services will expand to involve other health care professionals, including pharmacists and mental health practitioners.
“Every resident should be able to access the primary health care they need at the right time, in the right place, by the right provider,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard.
The initiative is meant to act as “a temporary placement” while New Brunswickers wait for access to primary care.
According to a provincial news release, more than 40,000 people are currently registered to Patient Connect NB.
During a news conference in Moncton on Wednesday, Shephard said they will work to identify gaps in communities and fill those gaps with primary health care networks that serve all New Brunswickers with the “scarce human resources,” while promoting population health and reducing emergency department visits.
The provincial government is releasing a new health plan this week, titled “Stabilizing Health Care: An Urgent Call to Action.”
