Report to Our Communities

Horizon has a plan to improve health care in New Brunswick. Our plan is focused on retention and recruitment efforts, in addition to improving the overall patient experience by addressing patient flow and access to services.

Our four priority areas are:

Advancing heath care in New Brunswick — with innovation, teamwork and heart

Guided by our commitment to improve the overall health care system, you will see we are building on our successes over the last year, while continuing to address our challenges in thoughtful and innovative ways.

We are confident this work will elevate the performance of our organization and ensure we are a top employer of choice. We work with our frontline staff and physicians to make strategic choices to solve problems, work to fully understand the constraints of any given situation, and always prioritize situations with the highest impact first.

Horizon also understands the importance of community voices in decision-making when planning health services and recognizes that New Brunswickers want to be involved in the decisions that impact them the most. That is why it’s vital that we work at addressing our challenges together with our communities and explore various ways in which we can continue to engage in meaningful dialogue. Our Foundations are a key partner in this work and we are thankful for their ongoing support.

There are currently close to 55 active projects underway across five regional hospitals, 11 community sites, and 20 departments.

There is still work to be done and as always, we will persist in our efforts to improve, create, and implement critical priority initiatives for New Brunswickers – for now and the future.

ACCESS TO SERVICES

Focusing on barriers impacting access to health care services for our patients, with a special emphasis on emergency care, surgical services and addiction and mental health services

Horizon making significant progress in improving access, reducing wait times for hip and knee surgeries while maintaining OR access for other specialties

Horizon has made significant progress to improve access to hip and knee surgeries, cutting wait times in half since 2020, without impacting OR time for other surgical specialties. Horizon also remains fully committed to improving OR access and decreasing wait times for all surgical specialties, while adhering to the Provincial Health Plan objective of reducing the waitlist for hip and knee replacement surgery. Click here to learn more.

New Urgent Treatment Centre in Fredericton to improve access to primary health care for non-life-threatening medical needs

Patients in the Fredericton area now have improved access to primary health care, thanks to the opening of a new community-based clinic for non-life-threatening medical needs. Horizon’s Fredericton Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) has opened at 435 Brookside Dr. (inside Brookside Mall) and will help to alleviate pressure on local Emergency Departments. Learn more here.

Horizon establishes new dialysis treatment program to serve more patients in the Moncton area

Horizon has expanded its dialysis program and is now offering Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) to patients staying at The Moncton Hospital (TMH), increasing access to this critical treatment and allowing them to stay closer to home when it matters most. The Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit (MSICU) team worked with Sherry Brooks, Nurse Educator, at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital and Intensive Care Unit staff and physicians at Vitalité Health Network’s Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre, where CRRT is also offered to expand the program and begin offering it at TMH. Read more here.

New partnership to significantly increase access to cataract surgeries in Fredericton region

A new partnership between Horizon and a Fredericton-based ophthalmology clinic will mean thousands more cataract surgeries will be offered each year. The agreement between Horizon and the Fredericton Cataract Surgical Centre will significantly increase access to cataract surgeries in the Fredericton region and improve the overall patient experience. Click here for details.

Innovative youth substance use prevention pilot project launches in Saint John area

Horizon Health Network (Horizon) is pleased to be part of a new collaborative, community-based youth substance use prevention pilot in the Saint John area. Saint John was one of four New Brunswick locations selected to pilot the Planet Youth Guidance Program, which applies the Icelandic Prevention Model – an evidence and community-based process which has been proven to lower substance use among youth in Iceland and has since been adapted in more than 16 countries. Click here to learn more.

New pilot at Horizon’s Upper River Valley Hospital providing increased options to ED patients

Horizon Health Network is pleased to announce the launch of a new pilot project at Upper River Valley Hospital (URVH) aimed at improving patient care delivery in the Emergency Department (ED). This initiative, developed in partnership with eVisitNB’s virtual care platform, will provide patients with non-urgent medical needs a parallel option to see a physician or nurse practitioner while waiting in the ED through their smartphones or mobile devices. Read more here.

Saint John Uptown Health Centre increasing access to primary care

Horizon’s Saint John Uptown Health Centre is now offering same-day, self-referral appointments with a physician or nurse practitioner (NP), increasing access to primary care in the Saint John area. Appointments are available Monday to Thursday. These are not walk-in appointments and must be booked by phone. Read more here.

Lung cancer screening program announced

The provincial government has begun working on the development of a lung cancer screening program aimed at high-risk patients. The program is expected to be rolled out provincewide in 2025. “The diagnostic and thoracic oncology teams at Horizon will play a vital role in the early detection of lung cancer through this program, which will provide more treatment options for those diagnosed and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes,” said Greg Doiron, vice-president of clinical operations at Horizon Health Network. “This aligns with Horizon’s critical priorities of improving access to services and enhancing the health-care experience for our patients and their loved ones.” Click here to learn more.

Virtual reality simulation helps train OR nurses in Horizon hospitals

Virtual reality simulators have been rolled out across four regional Horizon hospitals, allowing for new innovative ways to help with operating room (OR) training and assessment of nurses. Using PeriopSim technology, developed by Conquer Experience Inc., Horizon is using advanced, state-of-the-art technology to accelerate training for OR nurses and better prepare them for surgical nursing by ensuring they have expertise in the field before they begin in the OR. Click here to learn more.

Interim solution established to provide primary care for eligible patients in Tantramar area

Certain patients in the Tantramar area who have recently lost their family physician will have access to a primary care clinic. Horizon is actively working on a comprehensive plan to enhance the availability of primary care options in the Tantramar area, including the establishment of a community health centre. This clinic is the first step in this plan. Read more here.

Imaging Enhancement Centre at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital will improve imaging services, overall patient experience

Today, Horizon, in partnership with PolyUnity, hosted an innovation summit as part of the launch of the new Imaging Enhancement Centre (IEC) at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital (SJRH). The IEC features cutting-edge technology such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence (AI), and augmented reality (AR) applications, providing medical imaging results in technologically advanced formats. Click here for details.

Significant improvements to CT scan access and wait times for Emergency Department patients at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital

A reduction in delays and length of stay for emergency department (ED) patients requiring Computed Tomography (CT) imaging has helped increase access to this procedure while improving patient flow and the overall patient experience at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital. In its ongoing efforts to support New Brunswickers in accessing emergency care more quickly, Horizon successfully operationalized a process improvement project involving multiple departments to accelerate the transfer process between the ED and the medical imaging (MI) department. The initial two-week pilot project was launched in Moncton on March 13 and data from this period yielded very positive results, including an increase in the number of CT scans performed (from 130 to 178), and a decrease in CT scan cycle time (from 2.3 hours to 1.5 hours). Click here to learn more.

Innovative partnership will deliver expedited access to cancer treatment for New Brunswick patients

Horizon Health Network (Horizon), in collaboration with Amgen Canada – one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies – is partnering to bring innovative medicine to patients faster. We are embarking on a new innovative access pathway that will see clinically validated cancer treatment being made available to patients much more quickly than under conventional processes. This innovative access pathway framework will work towards enabling cancer treatment to be made available to Horizon Health Network patients in New Brunswick and their clinical teams, providing patients an alternative treatment while easing the burden on health resources in a hospital setting. Learn more here.

Mobile X-ray service extended to long-term care residents provincewide

The Department of Health’s mobile X-ray service is being extended to long-term care residents across New Brunswick thanks to a $1.1 million investment by the provincial government. The services will be offered through the Extra-Mural Program and will allow nursing home residents to be tested in place, rather than to go through potentially stressful and physically difficult trips to the hospital. The program also frees up ambulances for other emergencies. Click here to learn more.

Hip replacement surgeries now being performed at Horizon’s Upper River Valley Hospital

Following the successful launch of knee replacement surgeries, the surgical team at Horizon’s Upper River Valley Hospital (URVH) is now improving access for orthopedic surgery patients who have been waiting for a new hip. Total hip replacement surgeries are now being performed by Horizon surgeons and staff at URVH. Click here for details.

New prenatal care program for pregnant individuals in the Fredericton area without a primary care provider

Horizon is launching a new prenatal care program for pregnant individuals in Fredericton without a primary care provider. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital will provide access to an obstetrician for pregnant individuals in the Fredericton area without access to a primary care provider for the duration of their pregnancy. Learn more here.

Horizon thoracic surgeons complete Canada-first fluoroscopic navigation bronchoscopy using Illumisite technology

Thoracic surgeons at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital have completed a landmark procedure using technology acquired through an innovative fundraising initiative led by the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation. Dr. Brian Johnston and Dr. Crispin Russell recently performed successful fluoroscopy navigation bronchoscopies using the Illumisite platform, a first-of-its-kind achievement in Canadian medicine and a significant step forward for lung cancer care in New Brunswick. Click here to learn more.

New partnership to significantly increase access to cataract surgeries in Miramichi region

A new partnership between Horizon and a Miramichi-based ophthalmology clinic is tripling the number of cataract surgeries being completed on a weekly basis in the region. The agreement between Horizon and the Miramichi Cataract Surgical Center is dramatically enhancing access to cataract surgeries in the Miramichi region while increasing OR availability for other surgical procedures at Horizon’s Miramichi Regional Hospital (MRH). Click here to learn more.

RHA community outreach teams collaborate to support shelter clients

Outreach programs are being expanded to help shelter clients in Moncton and Saint John, thanks to collaboration from Vitalité and Horizon health networks.

In Moncton, Vitalité’s Public Health and Addiction Mental Health services, Horizon’s Primary Health Care team, and the Salvus Clinic are coordinating their efforts to improve care for clients at shelters. Click here to learn more.

Horizon surgery initiatives see an extra 115 patients receive hip or knee replacements over four-month period

Over the last four months,115 additional orthopedic surgeries have been performed by Horizon health care teams, resulting in a 35 per cent reduction in the wait list for patients waiting longer than a year for a hip or knee replacement.

These results are thanks to various process improvement initiatives, such as the high-intensity interval theatre (HIIT) initiative, which saw elective hip and knee surgeries performed outside of normal operating hours. Click here to learn more.

New program improving quality of life, reducing need for surgery for osteoarthritis patients

Horizon patients living with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis can now benefit from an internationally-recognized education and exercise program, which has already improved the quality of many participants and even allowed some to reconsider the need for surgery.

Good Life with Osteoarthritis Denmark (GLA:D) Canada is an evidence-based program to treat and manage hip and/or knee osteoarthritis symptoms. It helps with managing and slowing the progression of osteoarthritis, improving patient outcomes (increasing function, decreasing pain) and reducing the need for total joint replacements and opioid use. Click here to learn more.

Fredericton health centre increasing access to primary care

Horizon’s Fredericton Downtown Community Health Centre has expanded its services to include same-day, self-referral appointments with nurse practitioners (NP), increasing access for primary care in the Fredericton area.

Appointments will be made available for patients on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. These are not walk-in appointments and must be booked by phone. Read more here.

New after-hours psychiatry clinic making significant impact in connecting clients to mental health services

A new initiative is dramatically enhancing access to psychiatry services for clients in the Moncton area, with dozens of patients – children/youth and adults – being removed from the waitlist and connected to the care they need in the right place, at the right time.

Horizon psychiatrists Dr. Rozario Anthony and Dr. Syed Sadiq recently opened the doors to their clinic at 234 Reade St., located steps away from Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital.

The clinic provides clients with far greater flexibility to attend appointments outside of traditional daytime hours of operation and will help further reduce the waitlist for mental health services in the Moncton area. Read more here.

More patients receiving MRI appointments through optimization tactics

More patients are receiving appointments, wait times have decreased and waitlists have been reduced, thanks to process improvement projects to optimize magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) services at Horizon.

A pilot project at Horizon’s Miramichi Regional Hospital (MRH) has increased the number of patients seen in a week from 56 (2021) to 83 (2023) – an increase of almost 50 per cent — and decreased the average wait time between appointments to just under eight minutes, from 17 minutes. Read more here.

New online tool will allow loved ones to see patient’s surgery status in real time

Horizon, together with Service New Brunswick, is pleased to introduce a new online patient surgery tracker for patients who have planned elective surgeries at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital (TMH) and Sackville Memorial Hospital (SMH).

This pilot project will allow families of a patient undergoing elective surgery to view the patient’s surgery status (such as in pre-operative care, surgery or recovery, or ready for discharge) online in real time from any device. Read more.

Total knee replacement surgeries now available in Waterville

The surgical team at Horizon’s Upper River Valley Hospital (URVH) in Waterville is improving access for orthopedic surgery patients who have been waiting for new knees.

Starting this week, total knee replacement surgeries will now be performed at URVH, many of which will be day surgeries.

Once fully operational, up to eight knee surgeries per week could be completed by staff in Waterville. This program is estimated to serve an additional 360 knee replacement patients in one year, as well as reduce wait times and improve the patient experience. Read more.

High-intensity interval theatre (HIIT) initiative to see Horizon complete up to 96 additional orthopaedic surgeries over next several months

Members of Horizon Health Network (Horizon)’s Surgery Program are taking an innovative approach to performing surgeries on patients who have been waiting the longest for orthopaedic surgeries, which will improve access to surgical services and decrease the overall wait time for in-demand surgeries.

Surgical teams in Fredericton, Miramichi, Moncton and Saint John will complete a “blitz” of up to 96 surgeries – primarily orthopaedic (hip and knee replacements) – on Saturdays in November, December, January and February. Typically, operating rooms (ORs) do not run planned surgeries on weekends. Click here for details.

Horizon and Sussex community action group addresses ongoing health care challenges

Horizon Health Network (Horizon), in partnership with community leaders in the Sussex area, have come together to find solutions to ensure accessible and sustainable health services in the Sussex area.

The Sussex Health Centre (SHC) and Sussex and Area Action Group has been established and work is now underway – the group has held its initial meetings in September and October where the overall goals and objectives, team structure and roles and responsibilities were established. Read more here.

Horizon’s Mobile Crisis Unit in Miramichi offering expanded hours of service

Horizon wishes to inform the public that its Mobile Crisis Unit (MCU) in the Miramichi area is offering expanded hours of service to better meet the needs of clients by improving access and client experience for this important service.

As of Nov. 1, Miramichi’s Mobile Crisis Unit has expanded its hours of service to respond to addiction and mental health crisis needs in the community from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. Read more here.

Horizon extends successful pilot to hire three more addictions and mental health social workers for emergency departments

The addition of an addictions and mental health social worker in the Emergency Department (ED) at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital has helped improve access to addiction and mental health services for over 1,900 patients since January as part of a pilot project.

Based on this early success to offer additional support to these patients, Horizon is expanding the pilot project into three more emergency departments: three more social workers will join our addiction and mental health teams in Moncton, Saint John and Miramichi. These social workers will help ensure patients who come to our EDs with addiction or mental health concerns receive improved care and support in their recovery. Click here for additional details.

Horizon introducing series of enhancements to Forensic Nurse Examiner services

Horizon is introducing a series of strategic changes to its Forensic Nurse Examiner (FNE) program which will help ensure consistent access and improved care for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence.

These measures were identified as a result of an internal review of Horizon’s FNE program – formerly known as the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program – services undertaken by the organization earlier this fall.

Forensic Nurse Examiners provide specialized nursing services and trauma-informed care to victims of sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and maltreatment to any individual including men, women, teens, children, seniors and members of the LGBTQ community. Read more here.

Expanded surgical services to launch at select community hospitals

As part of our commitment to improving access to surgical services for our patients, we’re investing $6.4 million to expand surgical programs at our hospitals in Upper River Valley, Oromocto, Sackville and Sussex.

This is an important and exciting investment in our facilities and staff, which will benefit patients throughout the province. Read more here.

Surgery and Critical Care regional directors and medical leads

Horizon is taking an important step toward improved management of Horizon-wide programs by adjusting the leadership and organizational structure of its clinical departments to improve collaboration and consistency across Horizon and the patient experience and outcomes. ​

Two new regional positions have been created to co-lead Horizon’s Surgical department.

Amy McCavour has been appointed as the Executive Regional Director, Co-Leader. She will be responsible for the operational planning, management, and leadership of the Surgical and Intensive Care department to ensure services/programs are developed, operated, and evaluated while maintaining efficient and effective resource utilization, patient/family satisfaction, and quality patient care that meets established standards and public expectations across all health zones. Read more about Amy here.

Dr. Patricia Bryden has been appointed as the Executive Clinical/Academic Department Head, Co-Leader. She will oversee daily operations of the Surgical and Intensive Care department in all Horizon facilities relating to the quality of medical care, professional development, and medical staff issues, and will ensure compliance with Horizon Health Network By-laws and Medical Staff Rules and Regulations and accountability measures in accordance with the bylaws and all Horizon Health Network policies. Read more about Dr. Bryden here.

Access to MRI streamlined through assessment at NB-ISAEC

When Susan Mean started experiencing lower back pain in September 2022, she thought it was simply sciatica (pain that travels along the sciatic nerve from the lower back down through the hips and legs) and figured it would go away.

Her doctor referred her to the New Brunswick Inter-professional Spine Assessment and Education Clinic (NB-ISAEC), where she met with Andrew Ross, clinical coordinator and physiotherapist. Read more here.

PATIENT EXPERIENCE

Introducing initiatives focused on providing quality care experience for our patients

Horizon launches new self-booking tool for X-Ray appointments in Saint John area

A new service will provide patients in the Saint John area with a new, easy, and modern way to book their own X-ray appointments. Horizon Health Network (Horizon) is excited to announce patients with an X-ray note (referral) from their care provider will be able to book their own appointments online. Click here to learn more.

Self-referring mammography program announced

The provincial government is expanding its cancer screening program, allowing women aged 40-49 to self-refer for a mammogram. “Breast cancer is a formidable foe, and we know that early detection is our best weapon,” said Daryl Steeves, interim VP professional services with Horizon Health Network. “This initiative, simply put, will save lives, increasing the chances of survival for New Brunswick women in this high-risk age group, empowering them to take control of their own health and ensure they are able to receive the timely care they deserve.” Click here for details.

Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital breaks ground for its new two-storey Coronary Care Unit

Construction has begun on a new $56 million Coronary Care Unit (CCU) at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital, which will enhance cardiac care delivery for patients across the region. Once completed, the opening of this new CCU in Moncton will signify a monumental milestone in the Moncton area’s health care delivery journey. Learn more here.

$155 million in renovations underway at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital

Construction work has begun on the first stage of a $155-million multi-year project to modernize and expand Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital. The multi-phase project will enhance care delivery by modernizing and expanding the hospital. Learn more here.

Oncology nurses to help cancer patients navigate their care

The provincial government announced today that a team of oncology nurses is in place tasked specifically to help patients navigate the complex system for cancer care. Through a partnership involving the provincial government and Horizon and Vitalité health networks, eight oncology nurse navigator positions have been created, covering each zone within both health authorities. Read more here.

Celebrating successes of community collaboration in Tantramar

A successful recruitment campaign highlighting the community, improved employee recruitment and engagement, and facility upgrades are just some of the early successes out of a collaboration between Horizon Health Network (Horizon) and the Rural Health Action Group (RHAG), a community-based organization formed to establish sustainable health service delivery for the Sackville, Memramcook and Tantramar area.

Furthermore, an in-depth review of current health care services in the Sackville area, with an analysis of gaps and opportunities was completed by RHAG’s Service Design Working Group (SDWG), and the recommendations are being analyzed to create an outline for next steps. Click here for more information.

$41 million invested to support accessible and quality health care

The provincial government is investing $41 million in capital funding to support its health-care partners in their delivery of accessible and quality health care.

The funding from the Department of Health is for equipment less than $100,000 and refurbishments and was provided earlier this year to Horizon Health Network, Vitalité Health Network, and Extra-Mural / Ambulance New Brunswick. Click here for all the details.

Upgrades to Sackville Memorial Hospital Emergency Department complete

Renovations to Horizon’s Sackville Memorial Hospital (SMH) Emergency Department (ED) have been completed, and the ED will re-open in its original space next week.

The renovations include modernizing the ED and fixing damage from flooding that occurred in September 2022.
Read more here.

Update on recruitment and retention efforts, capital upgrades at Horizon’s Sackville Memorial Hospital

Horizon Health Network (Horizon) is making progress in its efforts to recruit and retain frontline health care workers at Horizon’s Sackville Memorial Hospital (SMH), while also moving forward with key infrastructure upgrades at this facility. “We know that our health care system and our local communities are at their best when we all take ownership of these challenges and work hand-in-hand to address them openly, transparently and collaboratively,” said Margaret Melanson, Horizon’s interim President and CEO. Click here to read the news release.

Pilot project of social workers in Emergency Departments benefitting patients, reducing social admissions

A pilot project that sees social workers intervene with patients in emergency departments (ED) is helping prevent social admissions, reduce emergency department visits and strengthening early co-ordination of social determinants of health to decrease the length of stay for admitted patients.

This pilot project started at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital in January 2022. The program was also introduced at The Moncton Hospital and Miramichi Regional Hospital in spring 2022 and the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton in summer 2022. Learn more here.

Improving patient experience by adding staff to monitor and support patients in the ED wait rooms

While you wait to be triaged and seen in the ED, you may be introduced to our newest care team members who work exclusively in hospital waiting rooms in Fredericton, Miramichi, Moncton, and Saint John. They may be a licenced practical nurse (LPN), a personal care attendant with specialized training (PCA 2), or a nursing student who is eager to help on the frontline.

After introducing themselves to you, they may:

  • Check your vital signs;
  • Ensure you are comfortable i.e., bring you a blanket if you are cold, or water if you are thirsty;
  • Report any concerns to the triage nurse or ED staff; and
  • Monitor the well-being of others who are waiting in the ED.

Read more about this program here.

PATIENT FLOW

Diagram to show patient flow in our hospitals

Streamlining the way patients move into, through and out of our hospitals

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

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. Learn more here.

Virtual consultations now available for patients seeking urgent mental health care in Horizon Emergency Departments

Patients with mental distress who present to a Horizon Emergency Department (ED) can now connect virtually with an addiction and mental health team and or a psychiatrist. Virtual care consultations are now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as an alternative option to in-person sessions. Click here for details.

Improving patient flow with a smile

Patient flow and access to services are two key areas Horizon has committed to improving, along with retention and recruitment and improving patient experience. The Physician Assistants (PA) at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton are doing just that in the Emergency Department, which is why we are adding a third PA to support this ongoing effort.

PAs assess patients, order tests or review results with the patient, prescribe medications and help implement a recovery plan. We are able to do this with the help of Ryan Bennett and Kevin the two PAs at the DECRH. Read more here.

RETENTION & RECRUITMENT

Implementing initiatives to retain valuable health care workers paired with an aggressive recruitment strategy

Nearly 2,000 health care professionals join Horizon so far this fiscal year

Horizon is continuing to make significant progress with the recruitment and retention of health care workers in New Brunswick, with 1,928 physicians, nursing staff and other health care professionals joining our organization so far this fiscal year. These efforts have included recent missions to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, with Horizon personnel also attending job fairs and social events for medical residents and medical students alongside our partners at Vitalité and the Government of New Brunswick over the last several months. Click here to learn more.

Horizon continuing to see progress in health care improvements in Tantramar area

Margaret Melanson, Horizon’s interim President and CEO, as well as Carol Reimer, Chair of Horizon’s Board of Directors, were part of a delegation of representatives who took part in a public community forum hosted by Memramcook-Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton at Mount Allison University. The forum was a follow-up to a similar event held this past summer, and provided an opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about how Horizon is continuing to make inroads in its efforts to bolster health care services in collaboration with local stakeholders and members of Tantramar and Strait Shores’ Rural Health Action Group. Click here to learn more.

Horizon’s Our Promise aimed at strengthening employee engagement, improving retention

Our physicians and staff show up every day to care for New Brunswickers and Horizon is committed to showing up for them through an exciting new strategy that promises to strengthen employee engagement, build trust and ultimately improve retention. Our Promise is Horizon’s commitment to prioritizing the retention of physicians and staff through meaningful engagement and recognition, focusing on a healthy, safe and inclusive workplace culture, while empowering our workforce to untap their full potential as health care professionals. Learn more here.

Partnership will help some UNB nursing students study closer to their home communities

The provincial government is helping the University of New Brunswick (UNB) launch a new program that will allow some nursing students to complete their studies closer to their home communities. The new program, called Learn Where You Live, will allow licensed practical nurses who are working toward their nursing degree to study and work in Miramichi or Moncton for years three and four of their program. Previously, these students would have been required to attend classes in Fredericton. Learn more here.

Progress in Recruiting and Retaining Frontline Healthcare Workers in Sussex, NB

Horizon Health Network, in collaboration with the community of Sussex, NB, is making significant progress in its efforts to recruit and retain frontline healthcare workers serving the residents of Sussex and surrounding areas. This progress reflects Horizon’s key priority of improving the recruitment and retention of healthcare workers within our organization and underscores our commitment to restoring 24/7 operation to the Sussex Health Centre’s (SHC) emergency department. Click here to learn more.

Physicians Now Included in Horizon Referral Reward

In response to the ongoing physician shortage in New Brunswick, Horizon has intensified efforts in the recruitment of physicians. The Horizon Referral Reward has been expanded to include physicians as eligible referrals. New Brunswickers will now earn a $2,000 Horizon Referral Reward for successfully referring an eligible physician to work for Horizon. Click here to read more.

Financial barriers reduced for internationally educated nurses

The provincial government announced a new initiative today to reduce financial barriers for internationally educated nurses entering the health-care system. The five-year commitment will cover various costs associated with becoming eligible to work in the province for up to 300 nurses each year. Click here to learn more.

Horizon reports significant recruitment gains in 2022-23; hundreds more staff providing care throughout health care system

Horizon successfully recruited nearly 2,400 employees during the 2022-23 fiscal year, representing a net gain of 550 more health care professionals who are providing safe and quality care for patients, increasing access to services, and supporting our current workforce. From April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023, a total of 528 registered nurses (RNs), 337 licenced practical nurses (LPNs) and 523 personal care attendants (PCAs) were recruited to Horizon, in addition to hundreds of additional support staff and allied health professionals. Read more here.

Nurse Practitioners Now Included in Horizon Referral Reward

Horizon has expanded the Horizon Referral Reward to include Nurse Practitioners. New Brunswick residents, along with Horizon staff and physicians, can now refer an eligible Registered Nurse (RNCA) or Nurse Practitioner (RNCD) to work for Horizon and receive a $1,000 Horizon Referral Reward. There is no limit to how many candidates one individual can refer.

And right now, for a limited time, if a Registered Nurse is successfully referred to work in one of Horizon’s Critical Care Units or Emergency Departments, the reward will be DOUBLED. That’s $2,000! Read more here.

Horizon employees step up to help co-worker be with family when she needed it most

Tosin Abioye has been working at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital for six months. In December, her family had a medical emergency.

Thanks to a generous donation from her coworkers in the Palliative Care Unit, Tosin was able to take some time off and spend it with her family during this critical time. The team collectively donated 150 hours of vacation time so Tosin could be with her family. Learn more here.

Horizon partners with ThriveNB to help our newly recruited Internationally Educated Nurses settle into their communities

Akhila and her family moved from India to Sackville, NB, in October. Moving to a new country is never easy, but thanks to the new partnership between Horizon and ThriveNB, Akhila’s move was seamless.

ThriveNB is an organization with the goal of helping newcomers settle in the province. Horizon has officially partnered with them to help internationally educated nurses (IENs) settle in our province. Learn more here.

Horizon’s pledge to nursing students and grads: Guaranteed employment

Horizon’s Student Nurse Advancement Pledge (SNAP) provides nursing students with a seamless transition from student to nurse. Guaranteed employment is offered to all BScN/BN and Practical Nursing students and grads from any recognized college or university across Canada. Horizon will support nursing students through numerous career paths in a variety of specialty areas and settings. Click here for details.

Bravo! – Showing employees we care

September is Employee Appreciation Month and we’ve been showing our appreciation to staff at employee appreciation events across the province. Through our Bravo! program, patients and their families can share stories about an employee who went above and beyond to make a difference. Learn more here.

Horizon Nurse Recruitment Dashboard

We are committed to keeping our staff, physicians, volunteers, and the public informed of our nurse recruitment progress. One way we are doing this is by showing how many nursing staff have been hired in Horizon facilities.

We are doing this by publishing the Horizon Nurse Recruitment Dashboard.

It provides a snapshot of how many nurses (Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and Patient Care Attendants) have been recruited thus far in our fiscal year from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 and where they came from – whether it was New Brunswick, other provinces, or outside of Canada. The numbers are updated daily and show progress toward our nurse recruitment targets.

For additional information, visit our website and read our latest accomplishments.

Employees Health, Wellness and Safety Initiatives

Employee Health Wellness & Safety has evolved into a department with multiple focuses: Injury Prevention, Occupational Health & Safety, Employee Health and Employee Wellness.

We recently launched three new initiatives to support our employees through the summer surge in COVID-19 cases: an employee greeter program at our four large regional hospitals that have see an increase in outbreak units, on-site COVID-19 booster clinics and an enhanced outdoor seating project.

Read more about these initiatives here.

Nursing Recruitment

Since April 1, Horizon talent acquisition specialists have successfully recruited and onboarded 255 Registered Nurses (RNs), 159 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and 275 Patient Care Attendants (PCAs), in addition to hundreds of allied health professionals and support service workers across several fields of expertise. Learn more here.

Horizon Referral Reward Program

Horizon is actively recruiting nurses, physicians and other health care workers to work in New Brunswick, and you can help. If you are a New Brunswick resident, or a Horizon staff member or physician and want to spread the word about Horizon career opportunities, this is your chance to be rewarded – in dollars! Your reward depends on the eligible position that is successfully referred. Learn more about the Horizon Referral Reward Program here.

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We want to hear from you!

Horizon Health Network is committed to involving people affected by the decisions it makes.

Whether you are a staff, physician or volunteer, or a patient, client or family member, or member of the public – we want to hear from you in a way that is meaningful to YOU.

Visit our Let’s Talk Horizon platform for all current engagement projects.