Health care council calls for standardized health services

The New Brunswick Health Care Council says due to a lack of provincial standards, the quality of care differs when it comes to access to family doctors, and mental health services in different parts of the province.

The council released an 11-page report Tuesday comparing health care services across the province. It concludesthe provincial government has to do more to offer a higher standard of health care services to New Brunswickers.

"New Brunswick doesn't currently have an effective accountability framework to help standardize and improve the quality of health services," saysthe report.

The report says the province is falling behind on a requirement to measure and monitor health care services.

"Forming an accountability framework is a legislative obligation written in New Brunswick's Regional Health Authorities Act," says the report.

Most parts of the health system are not well integrated which impacts people's care and appropriate utilization of health services.- New Brunswick Health Council report on Variability in Health Service Quality

The report compares the quality of various health care services across the province.

When it comes to wait times to get an appointment witha family doctor, the report says "there are currently no performance targets."

For example, in theFundyShore and Saint John area 68%of people can get an appointment with their family doctor within 5 days, compared to42% inMadawaskaand North-West areas.

"Most parts of the health system are not well integrated, which impacts people's care and appropriate utilization of health services," says the report.

"A culture shift towards performance management and accountability focused on the quality of the care experienced by citizens is needed to support an integrated health services delivery system."

In response to the report,Bruce Macfarlane, thedirector of communications, for the Department of Health issued a statement.

"The timing of the recommendation is appropriate as the department's officials are presently consulting on accountability framework agreements with the regional health authorities."

Macfarlane said that the department is meeting withthe Vitalit and Horizon Health networks.

NBHC compared the provinces seven health zones:

1. Moncton and South-East Area (population: 203,840)
2. Fundy Shore and Saint John Area (population: 175,060)
3. Fredericton and River Valley Area (population: 173,875)
4. Madawaska and North-West Area (population: 49,000)
5. Restigouche Area (population: 26,920)
6. Bathurst and Acadian Peninsula Area (population: 77,795)
7. Miramichi Area (population: 44,690)