Fredericton will be home to the Horizon Health Network’s first family health team.
It is one of 30 such teams the Liberal government has promised to launch over four years.
Patients are matched with a team of health-care professionals rather than a single primary care provider.
“It’s through the expansion and establishment of teams like this that we will ensure that New Brunswickers receive the right care at the right time,” Health Minister John Dornan said in a news release.
“This will increase the number of people who are attached to primary care providers, reduce the pressure on emergency rooms, result in long-term savings, and ensure better care for everyone.”
The Fredericton Northside Community Health Centre currently serves about 6,400 patients. Two nurses and two part-time physicians will be added this summer, allowing the clinic to take on 1,600 more patients.
Margaret Melanson, president and CEO of Horizon Health, said being matched with a team ensures patients can access the right health care from the right practitioner at the right time.
Melanson adds that their goal is to match all New Brunswickers who live in areas served by Horizon with a local team of collaborative health care providers by 2029.
“As we continue to roll out this model in the communities we serve, our goal is to provide primary care services to our patients within five days, either virtually or in person,” she said.
Horizon currently has nine family health teams in development, and its 46 existing community health centres are undergoing improvements.
The provincial government said it plans to establish at least 10 team-based clinics during the 2025-26 fiscal year.
