New Brunswick faces concerns over virtual health care system transition

New Brunswick is set to implement a new virtual health care system, Virtual Care NB, within weeks, replacing the existing eVisitNB platform. The transition has prompted concerns from some nurse practitioners regarding compensation and the potential impact on their ability to manage patient loads. A group of nurse practitioners communicated their worries in a letter to Health Minister John Dornan.

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They did provide some legitimate concerns and we took those to the Foundever company. We communicate with them very well. I think we’ve addressed most of the concerns that they raised.

Dornan addressed these concerns, noting that while the letter was unsigned, some points were legitimate and have been discussed with the vendor, Foundever. He emphasized that Foundever is responsible for employee compensation. A key concern highlighted was the introduction of a 20-minute limit for patient consultations and the shift from eVisitNB's virtual waiting room to an appointment-based model for Virtual Care NB.

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The vendor is responsible for … paying their employees. That’s not my business.

Foundever stated that the 20-minute consultation is a "deliberate design choice, not a constraint." They explained it allows patients adequate time to be heard and gives practitioners flexibility to manage documentation and patient variability without rushing clinical work. Sharon Hamilton, president of Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick, confirmed her organization also has concerns, particularly regarding appointment times, follow-up procedures, and the monitoring of lab and diagnostic test results. She noted that clarification has been provided by the new company, and her organization supports the 20-minute timeframe while discussing ongoing concerns.

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It protects time for patients to be heard and gives nurse practitioners the flexibility to manage documentation, variability, and the realities of virtual care, without compressing clinical work into the margins of their day.

The health minister indicated no knowledge of plans to transfer patient files from the old system to the new one. Virtual Care NB will be accessible to all New Brunswick Medicare cardholders daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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There are clinical aspects of the job that needed communication. They certainly have received clarification now from the new company and I think we’ll be able to move forward with a lot more comfort once we have the contract reexamined.