Horizon Health Network releases report highlighting health-care improvements through its Critical Action Plan

The Moncton Hospital is shown in Moncton, N.B., on Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Ward

Horizon Health Network released its fourth Report To Our Communities Wednesday, highlighting projects taking place across the New Brunswick health authority to improve recruitment and retention of health-care workers and patient care.

The health authority says its four priority areas are:

• access to services
• recruitment and retention
• patient flow
• patient experience

“Horizon has been steadfastly working on our Critical Action Plan to improve health care in New Brunswick. This plan is focused on retention and recruitment efforts, in addition to improving the overall patient experience by addressing patient flow and access to services,” reads the report.

According to a news release from Horizon, there are 54 improvement projects underway across regional hospitals, community sites, departments and programs.

“These strategic initiatives – developed and implemented with direct input from physicians, staff and community partners – reflect the swift action Horizon has taken to address ongoing challenges in the health care system,” said Margaret Melanson, Horizon president and CEO, in the release.

“Many of these are driven by increased demands for services accelerated by a rapidly growing, aging population in New Brunswick and a global competition for physicians and health care workers.”

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The report highlights the addition of 2,303 new Horizon employees in the 2023-24 fiscal year, which include more than 900 nurses and 150 physicians.

When it comes to patient experience, the health authority says patients can now book their own X-ray appointments at Horizon hospitals and will soon be able to book their own blood and specimen appointments as well.

In addition, Horizon says:

• there was an increase of over 700 hip and knee surgeries from the previous year
• new cataract clinics increased surgery capacity by 690 cases
• 368 orthopedic cases were completed in the Upper River Valley as a result of additional operating room space made available by moving cataract surgery clinics out of the hospital
• Fredericton Urgent Treatment Centre expanded services to three days a week, reducing the number of patients seeking care at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital emergency department

The complete report can be found here.

For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.