Six doctors in Saint John have teamed up to become part of the Family Medicine New Brunswick model.
They work at the Harbour Health Partners Medical Clinic in Millidgeville and care for 7,000 patients.
Health Minister Benoît Bourque says not only will the physicians have a better work-life balance, but patients will have greater access, including evening and weekend appointments.
“More and more people want to have a broader access outside the working hours,” says Bourque, “so this will allow better access to those patients to be able to have access to either their direct family physician or to an associated physician within their cluster that will have access to their medical record directly.
Health Minister Benoit Bourque talks a bit about what the Family Medicine program is about. pic.twitter.com/6LmxHIpQU7
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) March 27, 2018
The model was created by the New Brunswick Medical Society to improve patient access, increase collaboration between doctors, and create a better work-life balance for physicians.
Dr. Dharm Singh, the society’s president, says these six doctors are a perfect fit for the program.
“They are a dedicated group of physicians who already represent the value of Family Medicine New Brunswick, that is patient access, collaboration, and the use of health technology,” says Singh. “They now have a model that helps support these goals and helps them enhance their patient care.”
Dr. Dharm Singh of the New Brunswick Medical Society announcing a group of six doctors in Saint John will work under the Family Medicine model. pic.twitter.com/jDBNtxXfFk
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) March 27, 2018
Singh says the goal is for patients to be seen within 24 to 48 hours, and they can even consult with a doctor by phone or online in some cases.
Four doctors in Oromocto became the first team to work under this model in January.
Bourque says more announcements are coming “very soon,” but that’s all he can say for now.
