The New Brunswick Medical Society’s (NBMS) Practice Support Program was established to support New Brunswick physicians and their teams in making changes to optimize their current processes and create more effective, healthier practices. This includes tailored support and programming to help physicians enhance processes within their clinics, create a better provider and patient experience, and ultimately improve the quality of patient care.
In recent months, the Practice Support team was able to introduce several new program initiatives and enhancements. This includes conducting the first Patient’s Medical Home Expedition series, a collaborative learning program designed to guide and support primary care teams in implementing high-impact changes to facilitate the transition of their practice toward the Patient Medical Home (PMH) model. Fifty-four participants are currently taking part in the Expedition, and the program has been very well received by all those involved.
Recognizing the potential to reduce administrative workload, enhance the accuracy of patient records and elevate the quality of physician-patient interactions, an AI Scribe Pilot Project was launched. The second wave of the pilot will be completed at the end of April, with a total of 200 participants evaluating four different AI Scribe products. Feedback from participating physicians has been overwhelmingly positive, with many coming away impressed with the amount of time saved using these tools.
Another key accomplishment has been establishing a Peer-to-Peer Network – a virtual network of New Brunswick Family Physicians that allows members to connect with fellow physicians, share and exchange valuable insights on improving their practice, receive expert advice, and discuss anything else of importance. The networks are managed by NBMS Practice Facilitators, who support the network and its participants. Dr. Darren Martin, one of the physician champions for the Peer-to-Peer Network, speaks of the potential he sees in the program. “This initiative will really help facilitate collaboration and information sharing among physicians. The opportunity for newer physicians to benefit from the experience of their peers and longer-serving practitioners should prove especially valuable as they look to establish and optimize their clinics.”
Earlier this year, the new Practice Support webpage was launched to assist New Brunswick physicians and their teams in making changes to optimize their current processes and create more effective, healthier practices. Physicians can visit the site here to take advantage of various tools and information related to business planning, human resources, information technologies, and improving clinic efficiency. We are continuing to develop the site, and it will be updated regularly with additional resources and information moving forward.
The Practice Support Group is currently tracking 401 individual cases related to a wide range of issues such as Human Resources, IT, process improvement, business support and training events. The team looks forward to continuing to support and collaborate with physicians and clinic staff to enhance organizational effectiveness, organizational change, and operational efficiency. For more information about Practice Support services provided by the NBMS, please reach out to practicesupport@nbms.nb.ca.
Jim Johnson, Communications Specialist
