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

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) – 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.

This initiative started as a successful pilot project at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital (DECRH) in Fredericton in August 2022, and was then rolled out in the following Horizon hospitals:

• Charlotte County Hospital (St. Stephen)
• Grand Manan Hospital
• Miramichi Regional Hospital
• Oromocto Public Hospital
• Sackville Memorial Hospital
• Saint John Regional Hospital
• Sussex Health Centre
• The Moncton Hospital
• Upper River Valley Hospital (Waterville)

“I am excited to announce that our teams are standing by to offer anyone with mental distress who comes to an Emergency Department with an immediate, reliable, and secure virtual consultation with one of our psychiatrists who are generally based in regional hospitals,” said Dr. Anthony Njoku, Clinical Department Head, Department of Psychiatry, Fredericton Area.

“This has been a major collaborative effort between hospitals’ emergency department staff, addiction and mental health staff, and physicians, and I am proud of every local team’s work in successfully launching this initiative across all areas of Horizon,” said Steve Savoie, Executive Regional Director, Co-Leader of Emergency Care.

Anyone presenting to a Horizon Emergency Department with addiction and mental health concerns is assessed collaboratively and in a timely manner by the addiction and mental health care team. Patients and health care providers together determine when a virtual consultation with a psychiatrist is appropriate.

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.

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