N.B. health authority report shows improvements in recruitment

The recruitment and retention of health-care workers remains a top priority for the Horizon Health Network.

The New Brunswick health authority released its Report to Communities on Thursday, highlighting progress made to improve health care in the province.

Improvements in patient flow and recruitment and retention gains during the past quarter are part of the successes Horizon outlined in the report.

The quarterly report highlights progress made from April to June.

Horizon president and CEO Margaret Melanson and board chair Susan Harley did a briefing and question period with reporters via Zoom Thursday afternoon.

Melason said recruitment is a multi-faceted approach with Horizon reaching out to domestic students, as well as international nurses and physicians.

"So it's a blend that we are bringing into New Brunswick to create a sustainable workforce," said Melanson.

Melanson did however admit that recruiting individuals to rural areas compared to cities in the province has been a challenge.

"I would say we are pivoting to support these individuals to become familiar with those communities. We are working with those communities on how we can help them to be re-settled and familiarized as part of those communities and that work continues," said Melanson. 

In a news release, Horizon said talent acquisition teams have exceeded targets, including the recruitment of 261 registered nurses, which is a net gain of 152, and 105 licensed practical nurses for a net gain of 50 in the first quarter.

There have also been 626 new employees such as respiratory therapists, medical laboratory assistants, social workers and 65 physicians.

Horizon also stated there are 57 improvement projects underway in all regional hospitals, as well as at seven community sites and 23 separate departments and programs since the health authority's last report in March.

Melanson said transparency and innovation are the core principles of the work the health authority is doing to improve health care across New Brunswick.

"In the past few months we’ve made remarkable progress in establishing partnerships and adopting innovative approaches to provide our staff and physicians with the tools necessary to ensure quality and safe patient care within our facilities and throughout New Brunswick,” said Melanson in the release.

Harley said decisions focused on the patient is at the centre of what everyone at Horizon is doing.

“As we balance and evaluate new approaches, it is important to do so with accountability and transparency, setting realistic goals that shape health care in our province,” said Harley.

Harley said she's very proud of the work being done by Horizon over the past several months.

"Our journey towards improving access to health care is ongoing. We remain to continuous improvement driven by the dedication and hard work of health care workers," said Harley.

Melanson said New Brunswick faces the dual challenge of both an ageing and growing population making enhanced access to primary care a key focus for Horizon.

"We are adapting and staying flexible by establishing collaborative approaches such as collaborative clinics through a new inter-disciplinary care model," said Melanson. 

Other highlights listed by Horizon in the report include:

• A specialized command centre at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton that supports more than 300 patients every day by coordinating discharge planners, patient flow coordinators, bed access coordinators and extra-mural program liaisons.
• Strategic leadership roles have been established to co-lead primary health-care services that focus on strategic planning that aims to provide primary care to new residents in the province and for those losing their primary care providers through the retirement of physicians.
• The Moncton Hospital is now the Atlantic Canada facility, and only the sixth in Canada, to offer Acessa Laparoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation technology for treating fibroid-related pain, which provides a uterus-preserving alternative to hysterectomy.
• The health authority has partnered with Skip the Waiting Room on an innovative pilot project to enable online appointment bookings at the Fredericton Downtown Community Health Centre. This initiative has already facilitated over 450 episodic care appointments.
• A live dashboard on Horizon's website allows New Brunswickers to make decisions on medical imaging wait times at Horizon Health Network facilities.

Horizon said its efforts have contributed to the momentum of the Critical Action Plan, which was initiated over two years ago to improve the patient experience in the province.

For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.