New Brunswick's Primary Care Transformation - Stephane Robichaud, CEO, New Brunswick Health Council

In this episode, we speak with Stephane Robichaud about New Brunswick's healthcare transformation, with a special focus on primary care challenges and the newly released Population Health Survey.

Key Topics Discussed

Primary Care Provider Access

• Significant drop from 93% (2017) to 79% (2023) in residents with permanent primary care providers
• Challenges in managing primary care compared to hospital-based services
• Lack of clear accountability structures in the primary care sector

Emergency Department Utilization

• 51.9% of emergency department visits are for less urgent conditions (levels 4 and 5)
• Discussion of how these cases might be better handled in primary care settings

The Population Health Survey

• Recent release to New Brunswick residents
• Potential to address healthcare challenges, particularly around emergency department utilization
• Specific health indicators being tracked that weren't previously monitored

Digital Healthcare Solutions

• MyHealthNB initiative expansion
• How digital solutions can help the 21% of New Brunswickers without a primary care provider

Healthcare Professional Recruitment

• Importance of community initiatives in attracting and retaining healthcare workers
• Non-clinical approaches to building a stronger healthcare system

Highlighted Insights

• Stephane emphasized the need for clear management structures in primary care
• Regional health authorities should be ultimately responsible for primary care
• Currently "no one really manages primary care" with providers working independently
• Need for accountability frameworks for each health zone

About Our Guest

Stephane Robichaud is the CEO of the New Brunswick Health Council, an independent organization mandated to measure, monitor, and report on healthcare system performance in the province. Under his leadership, the Council conducts regular surveys including the Primary Care Survey and the newly released Population Health Survey. Stephane brings valuable insights on healthcare metrics, accountability frameworks, and system performance, with a particular focus on addressing New Brunswick's primary care challenges.

Call to Action

New Brunswick residents are encouraged to complete the new Population Health Survey to help shape better healthcare policies.