New website allows Nova Scotians to track provincial health-care data

The Nova Scotia government has launched a new website that allows people to track the province’s health-care data.

The province says the Action for Health website is the first if its kind in Canada.

“We don't believe there's any other jurisdiction in the country that's sharing this level of data,” said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson.

The data had previously been available internally, but will now be shared publicly on a regular basis.

“The health-care system is publicly funded and the public has a right to know and to hold us accountable too,” said Dr. Kirk Magee.

The site will share daily metrics, such as the number of emergency department visits and hospital occupancy percentages.

The province says other metrics, such as ambulance offload times and doctor recruitment numbers, will be updated regularly as data becomes available.

“One thing that it highlights is, something we already knew, is primary care is severely lacking and it's the foundation of a strong health-care system,” said Dr. Leisha Hawker with Doctors Nova Scotia.

While Doctors Nova Scotia applauds the province for its transparency, the association is also calling for a primary care task force.

“Where all stakeholders involved in primary action would come together to look at an evidence-based and shared vision for long-term primary care transformation in Nova Scotia,” said Hawker.

Progress on the province’s four-year plan to improve health care is also available on the website.

"Our healthcare system is complex, and pressure in one part of the system impacts all the others," said Thompson in a news release Friday.

"Change won't happen overnight. But by sharing this information now, we are holding ourselves accountable to make sure change happens and the system improves in the areas most important to Nova Scotians."