Pilot project at Fredericton hospital given permanent status to mark Physician Assistants Day

FREDERICTON – A pilot project that has been helping improve access to primary care for years at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton was given permanent status today to mark Physician Assistants Day.

Health Minister Bruce Fitch said physician assistants have played a key role in improving patient flow, reducing wait times and providing a positive patient experience at the hospital’s emergency department since 2011 as part of a long-standing pilot project.

The pilot project is over, and physician assistants are now a permanent fixture at the hospital.

The Horizon Health Network currently has three physician assistants providing care at the facility and will soon add one more.

“Physician assistants help serve an incredible need for patients through reduced wait times and great care,” said Fitch. “Allowing more access to health care through non-traditional providers allows for timelier service for patients in need.”

Physician assistants help reduce wait times by assessing patients, ordering tests, reviewing test results with the patient, prescribing medications and helping implement recovery plans.

The current team of physician assistants sees more than 7,000 patients per year.

“At Horizon, physician assistants have played a key role in improving patient flow, reducing wait times, and providing a positive patient experience at our Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton since 2011,” said Margaret Melanson, Horizon’s interim president and CEO. “We are fortunate to have a dedicated team of physician assistants who work hard to meet the needs of patients who come to us for emergency care.”

In keeping with the government’s health plan, other measures have been taken to increase access to primary care around the province, such as eVisitNB online health-care services, the creation of NB Health Link, and adding to the list of ailments that pharmacists are funded to assess and treat.

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