Expansion of Fredericton clinic first step to meeting Liberal care goal
Horizon Health has recently revealed the first of 30 collaborative care clinics that are set to revolutionize primary care in New Brunswick, as promised by the Holt government. This new clinic, located on Fredericton’s north side, will be expanding this summer to accommodate 1,600 more patients. The clinic will be adopting a “family health team” model developed by Horizon, which will provide patients with access to a wider range of health professionals within the clinic. This approach aims to address a variety of health issues and reduce the need for costly visits to the emergency room at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital.
Dr. Ravneet Comstock, who is involved in overseeing new primary care models for Horizon, emphasized the importance of providing quality care to patients to prevent unnecessary emergency room visits. Premier Susan Holt had pledged during the last election to establish 30 collaborative care clinics across the province by 2028, with the goal of increasing access to healthcare for New Brunswickers.
Health Minister John Dornan, a former CEO of Horizon, expressed optimism about the future of primary care in the province, setting a target of matching all residents in serviced areas with a family health team by 2029. This ambitious goal reflects the government’s commitment to improving healthcare accessibility for all residents. The government has allocated additional funding to support the establishment of these collaborative care clinics, with the aim of enhancing primary care services and reducing the burden on emergency departments.
The new clinic on Fredericton’s north side will offer a range of services, including counseling, social work, dietetics, respiratory therapy, and diabetes education. By triaging patients in emergency departments, Horizon estimates that a significant portion of individuals seeking emergency care could be effectively treated at a primary care clinic if they had access. Moving forward, the clinic will work to register patients from the provincial waiting list who reside in the area to fill the additional spots at the expanded facility.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the clinic, Horizon will monitor the number of individuals from specific postal codes seeking emergency care, aiming to reduce unnecessary visits to the emergency department. The government’s commitment to improving primary care in New Brunswick is evident through the establishment of these collaborative care clinics, which will play a crucial role in enhancing healthcare services for residents across the province.
