It has been a busy and productive fall for the NBMS, featuring several significant milestones for the organization and the health system at large. As we approach the end of the year, it is a good opportunity to reflect on the past few months and also look ahead to the year to come.
Following longstanding calls by the NBMS and other stakeholders to invest in the stabilization of primary care, the former provincial government announced in September that it would provide funding to establish patient panel incentives for FFS family physicians and expand the list of fee-for-service codes which can be billed for services rendered by office nurses.
This was followed by a very active election campaign where the NBMS focused on making healthcare the primary concern for parties and voters alike. We were pleased to see collaborative care, retention initiatives, women’s health services and long-term care among the topics which featured heavily in the parties’ various platforms.
With the new Liberal majority government now formed, the NBMS has been actively engaged with Premier Susan Holt and Minister of Health, Dr. John Dornan. We met with Minister Dornan on his second day and have provided him with an initial list of priorities and recommendations we have identified to address some of the most pressing health-care issues in the province.
It has been encouraging to see the Premier and her team work quickly to act on several of the initiatives mentioned during her campaign, including expanding abortion access, enhancing retention incentives for nurses, and increasing shelter spaces for the unhoused. We will continue to meet with the Minister and Premier to build these important relationships and ensure that physician perspectives inform the process of implementing health-care commitments made during their campaign.
Another highlight of the fall was the Physician Summit, which included our Annual General Meeting and Celebration of Medicine Awards gala in Miramichi. Highlights from the weekend included a compelling keynote address from Dr. Jane Philpott, membership approval of major governance reforms, and as always, recognizing the accomplishments of outstanding and long-serving physicians of New Brunswick.
Looking ahead, we are excited to continue our focus on engagement in 2025. The Physician Summit will be relaunched as NBMS Connect, an education and networking event that will take place annually in May at the Algonquin in Saint Andrews. We will also be reprising the NBMS Regional Forums, with stops in Fredericton and Bathurst next spring, and fall dates in Edmundston, Saint John and Moncton.
Of course, the primary focus to start the year will be negotiations for the next Physician Services Master Agreement. We will continue to work closely with members and our partners in government to devise a fair and equitable contract that sees all specialties properly recognized and rewarded.
We will be sure to keep you updated on this and the other work we do on behalf of members in the coming year, and we wish you and yours all the best this holiday season.
Dr. Lise Babin, President
René Boudreau, Chief Executive Officer
