A Sixth Local Family Health Team Joins the Collaborative Model in the Chaleur Region

Vitalité Health Network, Tuesday, December 9, 2025 – Vitalité Health Network is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with a sixth Local Family Health Team in the Chaleur region. The Clinique médicale Centre-Ville, comprised of six physicians, two nursing staff members and four administrative support staff, is now officially joining the Network’s service points.

Next steps include expanding collaboration with community partners in physiotherapy and pharmacy, as well as preparing a new examination room that will accommodate medical residents beginning their clinical training in 2026.

Premier Susan Holt and Minister of Health Dr. John Dornan were in Bathurst on Monday to highlight this advancement.

Vitalité Health Network President and CEO, Dr. France Desrosiers, commended the outstanding commitment of the medical community in Bathurst, where 30 out of 34 family physicians are now engaged in the collaborative model.

“The signing of an agreement with a sixth team in Bathurst brings us one step closer to realizing our vision of modern, collaborative family medicine. In this model, doctors, nurses, and health care professionals combine their expertise to offer coordinated and accessible care. We are pleased to confirm that this approach is now the norm in the Chaleur region.”

Danie Haché LeBlanc, a patient at the Baie Family Medicine Clinic in Bathurst, shared her experience. She explained that same-day urgent appointment slots have transformed her access to care. “I no longer need to go to the emergency department for an infection. I can be seen quickly—sometimes the same day—by a nurse, a nurse practitioner, or another physician on the team,” she said. “I am taken care of immediately.”

Danie also highlighted the continuity of care and seamless access to her medical information among professionals, regardless of who sees her: “Even if it’s not always my own physician, they know my file. I don’t have to start from the beginning each time,” she noted.

With six Local Family Health Teams now in place, approximately 8,800 additional patients will be able to be attached to a primary care provider in the Chaleur region, improving access to first-line health services and reducing non-urgent use of emergency departments.

The Network continues to work toward ensuring that every patient within its territory has access to a primary care provider.