New Brunswick to end eVisitNB virtual health-care services

New Brunswick is closing the eVisitNB virtual care service in March.

By the end of March, New Brunswickers that have relied on services through the eVisitNB virtual care model will have to look elsewhere.

The province has advised the company that it will be transitioning to a new provider. eVisitNB will continue to service New Brunswickers until March 31.

“We are working closely with Maple, the technology platform that supports eVisitNB, to ensure a smooth transition,” reads an email from eVisitNB to clients. “Maple will communicate directly with you regarding access to your medical records and services after March 31, 2026.”

The virtual care model was launched just before the COVID-19 pandemic. It aimed to help New Brunswickers get medical help such as referrals and prescriptions without having to turn to an emergency room.

As of 2022, the network had 26,500 active patients and saw around 235 patients daily with a then-team of 20 physicians and 70 nurse practitioners.

“I am very disappointed that eVisitNB was not selected to continue to provide healthcare to New Brunswickers,” eVisitNB CEO Dr. Hanif Chatur told CTV News Atlantic in an email. “Over the past four years, eVisitNB has completed more than one million consults for more than 300,000 patients, with our team of over 165 Nurse Practitioners from New Brunswick and across Canada.”

He assured New Brunswickers, particularly those without a family doctor, that eVisitNB services will remain status quo until the end of March.

The service has been a big help for many New Brunswickers. Around 238,000 residents are still on a waitlist to be attached to a primary care provider or collaborate care clinic.

While responding to a Facebook comment in a post congratulating Rob Lantz on winning the P.E.I. Progressive Conservative party leadership, Premier Susan Holt assured New Brunswickers that there will still be virtual care options.

“We recognize how crucial this service is for NBers as we work to get collaborative health teams set up in every community,” Holt said. “There will be no break in service as we finalize the RFP award.”

CTV News Atlantic reached out to both the premier’s office and the Department of Health for more information on the RFP process and was still awaiting a response as of 4 p.m. Monday.

At an announcement in Saint John to celebrate completed renovations at a Horizon Health Network addictions and mental health campus, the minister responsible for Addictions and Mental Health, Robert McKee, said a decision was made to go to market with eVisitNB’s current agreement coming to an end.

“I understand the concern around a New Brunswick-based company, but we also believe in the competitive bidding process,” said McKee. “And that’s where we landed.”

McKee says, when the changeover to the new service happens, the transition should be seamless for patient records and information.

Official opposition health critic Bill Hogan says he was both shocked and disappointed to learn the premier is moving away from a made-in-New Brunswick company that has supported New Brunswickers over the last number of years.

In a social media post he stated the Foundever Group, which operates a global headquarters in Luxembourg overseas, will be awarded the new contract if the deal has not already been signed.

He questions why the province would be looking for other options when it has one made in its own backyard.

“Why would we look elsewhere when we have the answer and one that’s working extremely well in New Brunswick,” Hogan questions. “Why would we put out an RFP and not just extend their contract?

“New Brunswickers are extremely upset. They don’t understand why we would not put New Brunswick first. To have a premier that doesn’t look at our province and our own companies and put them ahead of other companies from outside of the province, this doesn’t make sense.”

In a statement sent to CTV News Atlantic, New Brunswick Medical Society President Dr. Lise Babin says the eVisitNB service provided an essential lifeline for many New Brunswickers at a time where few other modern alternatives existed.

“From the beginning, this service was understood as a bridge to a more integrated, coordinated virtual care model,” said Dr. Babin.

“We were reassured to see the province move forward with a comprehensive procurement process to address gaps such as triage, care coordination, and integration with in‑person services. While we were not involved in the decision‑making, we are encouraged that patients will continue to have access to virtual primary care, and we look forward to learning more about how the new services will be delivered.”

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