Lamèque welcomes the Premier and Minister of Health for the launch of Family Health Teams

The Premier of New Brunswick, Ms. Susan Holt, and the Minister of Health, Dr. John Dornan, visited the Lamèque Hospital and Community Health Centre on Wednesday to mark the implementation of the family health team model—a flagship initiative that is transforming access to primary health care in the region.

“We’re pleased to see healthcare professionals here in Lamèque coming together as a team to help deliver service to patients sooner,” said Premier Susan Holt. “Our government is committed to investing $30 million in 2025–2026 to expand team-based primary health care. This ambitious transformation will lead to better access in our communities and reduce pressure on emergency services.”

In Lamèque, the newly established family health team includes five physicians, three nurse practitioners, three registered nurses, one licensed practical nurse, and one social worker. Thanks to this interdisciplinary group, care is no longer provided in silos, but in a coordinated and efficient manner. By implementing collaborative practices, these professionals have begun delegating certain tasks according to their competencies, allowing them to better respond to the population's needs.

The team has recently been strengthened with the addition of two nurses and one social worker. By the end of April, this increased collaboration will result in the implementation of an advanced access model, ensuring appointments for minor emergencies in less than 48 hours.

“The work being done in Lamèque reflects a strong and consistent momentum in transforming our health care system,” said Dr. France Desrosiers, President and CEO of the Vitalité Health Network. “By focusing on collaboration among professionals, we are making significant progress toward faster and more equitable access to primary care for everyone.”

Next, the Lamèque family health team will adopt the artificial intelligence platform Vitr.ai. This tool will assist clinical staff in quickly directing patients to the right professional based on their needs. A nurse specialized in complex case management will also be integrated to provide personalized follow-up for patients with high health service use.

Elsewhere in the Acadian Peninsula, similar teams are already active in Shippagan, Tracadie, and Caraquet, and a fifth is currently being formed in the municipality of Hautes-Terres.

As part of this strategy, three main objectives have been set:

• Increase the number of people attached to a collaborative care team;
• Offer routine appointments in less than five days for non-urgent consultations;
• Provide appointments within 48 hours for minor emergencies to ensure rapid care for these situations

Across the Network, 25 local family health teams are currently active, bringing together 126 physicians and 24 nurse practitioners. Through resource pooling, task delegation, and the use of shared electronic medical records, several teams have significantly increased their capacity to take on new patients.

Photo caption: Marie Josée Roussel, Manager of logistics and Patient Flow, Lamèque Hospital and Community Health Centre; Stéphanie Roy, Corporate Director Primary Health Care, Palliative Approach and Integrated End of Life Care, Vitalité Health Network; Susan Holt, Premier of New Brunswick; Dr. John Dornan, Minister of Health; and Patrick Parent, Assistant CEO, Vitalité Health Network.