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

All New Brunswickers deserve accessible and quality health care and a positive patient experience, and this initiative is one example of how Horizon is committed to providing that every day

(HORIZON) Wednesday, Feb. 8 2023 – 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.

“Throughout Horizon, we are working on many innovative projects that improve the patient and family experience — and this patient and family-centred tool will do just that by providing real-time updates to families on the status of their loved one during surgery,” said Margaret Melanson, Horizon’s Interim President and CEO. “This will provide peace of mind during what can be a very stressful time.”

Currently, when a patient is in surgery, families of patients are updated with a number of phone calls between the Operating Room, Post-Anesthetic Care Unit and Surgery Admissions Unit. This new tool will allow families to check the status of the patient at any time and will allow staff to focus on caring for patients and ensuring their speedy recovery.

“This self-service technology will improve the patient experience by allowing loved ones to check on the status at any time, from anywhere. They can go about their day and plan to return to the hospital when the patient’s surgery is complete,” said Greg Doiron, Horizon’s Vice President Clinical Operations. “This is a great improvement to our system efficiency and a tremendous step forward in improving the patient experience. Congratulations to all those involved for making his happen!”

Patients will be provided with a handout with a unique Patient ID number, which they can share with their family and friends. Using their cellphone, tablet, laptop or computer, patients’ families will be able to go to our public website and track the progress of the patient’s care through the surgical process.

The average daily number of planned elective surgeries at these hospitals is 45 (combined).

Improving overall patient experience is a key priority of Horizon’s plan to ensure all New Brunswickers receive the quality care they need. This plan consists of three other priorities, including the retention and recruitment of physicians, nurses and staff; improving access to health care, specifically emergency care, surgical services and addiction and mental health services; and improving patient flow at our health care facilities. Further details about Horizon’s four priority areas are available at HorizonNB.ca.

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