A Time to Take Stock of a Year Rich in Progress for Vitalité Health Network

Bathurst, Tuesday, June 23, 2026 – Vitalité Health Network presented its 2025-2026 Annual Report today during its Annual General Meeting held in Bathurst.

The report presents the concrete progress made in the Network’s two major priorities, namely access to primary health care and improved patient flow, as well as in recruitment, retention and the continued development of programs and services.

Highlights of the report include:

• The continued rollout of local family health teams, with 34 active teams across the Network’s four zones, including 26 already offering rapid access within 48 hours for minor emergencies. This improved access contributed to a decrease in the proportion of non-urgent or less urgent emergency department visits, from 57.1% in March 2025 to 49% in March 2026.
• The strengthening of team stability, with a voluntary turnover rate of 3.4%, combined with continued local, national and international recruitment efforts. Thanks to this collective work, the Network has 320 more employees and 48 more physicians than it did on March 31, 2025.
• Progress in access to surgery, with an 11.9% increase in the number of surgeries performed and a 20.6% reduction in the number of surgeries that had been waiting for more than one year.
• Improvements in patient flow aimed at facilitating discharges, reducing lengths of stay and preserving patient autonomy. A reduction of approximately 20% in the average length of stay was recorded in some units, helping to free up acute care beds more quickly and improve access to beds from the emergency department.
• The many achievements of the year also include the implementation of new services closer to communities, the development of specialized oncology treatments, and initiatives aimed at offering faster, more compassionate and better-adapted access to mental health and addiction services.

For more details, consult the 2025-2026 Annual Report, available on the Network’s website.

“These gains reflect an organization that is moving forward, learning, adapting and innovating to meet the needs of the population. Our purpose remains clear: to foster the health of our patients and communities, today and tomorrow,” said Dr. France Desrosiers, President and CEO of Vitalité Health Network.

“Our successes would not be possible without the dedication and passion of our staff, volunteers and managers. Their energy, expertise and commitment are at the heart of the impact we have every day in people’s lives,” she added.

The Annual Report also highlights the Network’s essential role as a francophone health organization serving 283,125 people in northern and southeastern New Brunswick.

In its third year of its mandate, the Board of Directors continued its efforts to ensure stable and effective governance, while supporting the organization’s major strategic files.

“In carrying out our role, we have supported several strategic files. In particular, we continued our representations to government bodies to emphasize the importance of francophone international recruitment and the development of local family health teams, two key elements in meeting the growing needs of the population,” said Thomas Soucy, Chair of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Soucy also welcomed the appointment, by the Minister of Health, of three new members to the Board of Directors over the past year: Misty Labillois, Janice Goguen and Léo-Paul Pinet.

“Like all stakeholders in the health system, the Network is operating in a complex environment marked by an aging population, increasing care needs and a persistent workforce shortage. Despite these challenges, we see the determination of our teams to move the organization forward and continuously improve the services offered to the public,” added Mr. Soucy.