Patients can now book their own X-ray appointments at all Horizon hospitals

(FREDERICTON) – Horizon Health Network (Horizon) is now offering self-booking for X-ray appointments for all its hospitals.

The service is expanding to the Fredericton and Upper River Valley area, allowing patients to self-book their X-ray appointments at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, the Oromocto Public Hospital, the Upper River Valley Hospital in Waterville, and the Hotel-Dieu of St. Joseph in Perth-Andover.

The new tool will improve the patient experience by offering an easy, modern way for patients to book their own X-ray appointments.

Beginning Monday, March 11, 2024, Fredericton and Upper River Valley area patients with an X-ray note (referral) will be able to visit horizonnb.ca/radiography to book their own X-ray appointment.

“This milestone marks a significant step forward in our commitment to improving access and streamlining health care delivery,” said Zach Kilburn, Horizon’s Interim Vice President Professional Services. “I extend my sincerest gratitude to our dedicated medical imaging team and valued patients for their support and enthusiasm surrounding the launch of patient self-booking for X-ray services. Together, we are shaping a future where convenience, accessibility, and patient-centered care are top priority.”

To book an appointment, patients will need to confirm they have an X-ray note, or that it has been faxed to the hospital’s Medical Imaging (MI) department before proceeding. Health care providers may also use this tool to book their patients’ appointments on their behalf.

Appointments will be available Monday through Friday to coincide with the hours of operation of the facility selected when booking online. Patients can still call in to book an appointment if they do not have access to an online device.

To cancel or reschedule an appointment, patients can click the link in their confirmation email or contact the MI department at the hospital where they have booked their appointment.

This tool will help reduce the number of missed appointments and improve the overall patient experience. Reducing missed appointments will decrease wait lists and improve access to services for patients.

This self-booking service was successfully piloted in the Saint John area, and was expanded to Horizon hospitals in Miramichi and Moncton areas. Nearly 12,000 X-ray appointments have been scheduled using the new self-booking tool. Furthermore, over 1,600 responses to our patient satisfaction survey have been collected, and 94% of patients indicate that the platform is easy to use.

Horizon has a plan to improve health care in New Brunswick. Our plan is focused on retention and recruitment efforts and improving the overall patient experience by addressing patient flow and access to services. Further details about Horizon’s four priority areas are available at HorizonNB.ca. This initiative also supports the Government of New Brunswick’s provincial health plan, Stabilizing Health Care: An Urgent Call to Action.

-30-