Plans unveiled to build modern digital health system in N.B.

New Brunswick is outlining how it plans to modernize digital tools across the health‑care system.

The provincial government has released a strategy aimed at making care more connected and easier for patients and providers to navigate.

Premier Susan Holt said the plan is meant to give health‑care providers better tools and reduce the time they spend on administrative work.

“Modernizing our digital health system will give doctors the tools they need to spend more time with patients and less time on paperwork,” Holt said in a government release.

The strategy sets out several priorities for improving how information is shared and accessed across the system.

The provincial government says the plan focuses on:

• helping people securely access and manage their own health information
• improving the provider experience by reducing paperwork
• enabling secure information‑sharing across hospitals, clinics and community care
• building a data‑driven system using analytics and artificial intelligence
• strengthening the digital foundation of the health‑care system through upgraded and accessible tools

A large part of the strategy involves upgrading electronic medical records so providers can access real‑time information and maintain continuity of care.

The new tentative physician services agreement includes $1.7 million in additional funding to support the adoption and operation of these records.

Dr. Lise Babin, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, said digital improvements are about strengthening relationships between patients and providers.

She said the funding model means every physician in the province can now access support to adopt an electronic medical record of their choice.

Babin said similar approaches in other provinces have helped increase adoption rates and improve outcomes for patients and the broader system.

The strategy builds on the provincial health plan by expanding the connected‑care priority area and aligning digital investments with long‑term goals for the health‑care system.

Health Minister John Dornan said the strategy is not simply about replacing paper files with digital versions.

“Advancing digital health is more than simply converting paper records to digital files; it’s about transforming care in a holistic way that goes beyond technology,” Dornan said.

He said the plan is meant to guide investments that support care teams, empower patients and help create a more proactive and resilient system.