90 per cent in N.B. have doctor: report

More than 90 per cent of people in the province have a family doctor, according to a population health snapshot released by the New Brunswick Health Council Thursday.

That's better than the national average of about 84 per cent, the report indicates, challenging some long-held beliefs by both professionals and patients about the number of people who don't have a doctor.

'It still means 60,000 New Brunswickers are without access to a physician.' Anthony Knight, New Brunswick Medical Society

But "it still means 60,000 New Brunswickers are without access to a physician," said Anthony Knight, executive director of the New Brunswick Medical Society.

"So we remain concerned," he said. "What we've always advocated for is access to patient care through a family doctor."

The doctor statistic is just one of many in the report, which covers everything from health determinants, such as physical activity, socioeconomic factors, and physical environment; to population health status, including pain, mental health and life expectancy.

The report is a compilation of data from Statistics Canada, the Canadian Community Health survey and other sources over the past decade, said Health Council CEO Stephane Robichaud.

"This data we've just delivered doesn't give the explanation behind it," Robichaud stressed. "That's a lot of work."

Findings questioned

Some patients who were at the Brookside Mall walk-in clinic in Fredericton on Thursday questioned the results.

"I don't even know where you can find [a doctor]," said one man. "I've been to the clinic. I've been to the emergency room and I've never known where you can find a family doctor. Nobody's ever told me."

"That sounds kind of high to me," said a woman. "Just coming into clinics like this, they're totally packed, from when they open until closing. So I don't think that's an accurate number."

Still, the report shouldn't be dismissed, said Medical Society officials.

"Obviously this study's important. It gives the population access to data that's accessible and helps them interpret the state of the health care system," said Knight.

The report also flags problem in the health care system, which the government can use as a guide to determine where to focus its efforts.

It will also be used to help teach medical professionals, providing provincial data, which wasn't available before, he said.