PMH in New Brunswick

A 2023 review of primary care services in New Brunswick showed a range of service models, from solo practitioners to teams of physicians and a few examples of interdisciplinary primary care teams.  The province is currently working with stakeholders on several initiatives to encourage more team-based care.

Since 2017, the Family Medicine New Brunswick (FMNB) model has offered primary care physicians an opportunity to work as part of a team. The FMNB Program is closely aligned to the Patient Medical Home model endorsed by the College of Family Physicians of Canada with a strong focus on continuity and timely access to care. The Government of New Brunswick and the New Brunswick Medical Society agreed on several updates to the FMNB Program in June 2023, intended to improve retention and recruitment of providers, and patient access to longitudinal care.  Patients enrolled with an FMNB team are rostered to a primary provider but can receive service from a team which may include physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and allied health professionals.

As of January 2024, there are 11 FMNB teams in various parts of the province. 

The Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) in New Brunswick have operational responsibility for a network of Community Health Centers and Health Service Centers throughout the province.  In 2022, the province and the RHAs along with other stakeholders agreed on a set of primary care principles which closely align with the Patient Medical Home model.  Since that time, the RHAs have been planning and implementing changes to increase team-based care options for providers and patients.  The province is also working on an EMR upgrade for these centers as documentation and EMR integration vary widely.

New Brunswick has a few other examples of team-based primary care under the responsibility of the RHAs and in primary care clinics owned by physicians, such as Dr. J.P Arseneau of Clinique Médicale Nepisiguit, an early adopter of the Patient Medical Home model. 

New Brunswick patients not attached to a primary care provider can register with NB Health Link, which offers access to non-urgent care while waiting for permanent attachment to a provider.  NB Health Link uses a team-based model of care and an EMR to ensure continuity for patients. 

The goal is for all New Brunswickers and their families to have access to comprehensive team-based primary care services.