Family physicians play a central role in the health care system. Unfortunately, like many other jurisdictions in Canada, there are simply not enough physicians in New Brunswick to serve the patient population.
If you are seeking a family physician, you should contact NB Health Link online or by phone at 1-833-354-2300 to be placed on a waiting list. Wait times for a family physician can vary greatly, but the NB Health Link is the first point of contact. NB Health Link is a partnership between the Department of Health and Medavie Health Services New Brunswick connecting unattached patients with the primary care they need.
NB Health Link replaces Patient Connect NB as the provincially managed patient registry for New Brunswickers without access to a family physician or nurse practitioner. Patients can book an appointment in either official language with one of the network’s physicians or nurse practitioners.
Challenges accessing a family physician
Approximately 90,000 New Brunswickers do not have a primary care physician. This number has remained high for several years.
The challenges in New Brunswick are many:
- a shortage of family physicians and specialists;
- an aging population that requires more access to health-care resources and places greater demand on health-care professionals;
- high levels of chronic disease including diabetes, obesity, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The NBMS has long advocated for the modernization of physician retention and recruitment.
The NBMS is working with government and the regional health authorities on existing physician recruitment strategies, physician recruitment, and a long-term physician resource strategy.
We are encouraged by these developments and look forward to a better future for health care in New Brunswick and better access to care for patients.