FREDERICTON — New Brunswick's health minister says the provincial government is making changes to its new virtual-care arrangement after patients reported delays getting prescriptions renewed.
What went wrong during the transition
On June 30 the province moved its contract for virtual primary care from eVisitNB to a private company called Foundever. Since the change, some patients have complained about having to book virtual appointments through an overloaded telehealth line in order to request a medication refill. Health Minister Dr. John Dornan told reporters the volume of renewal requests was higher than expected because historical usage data from the previous provider had not been shared with government planners.
Immediate fixes and next steps
- Online renewals: Patients will be able to request prescription renewals directly online without first completing a symptom checker.
- Operational adjustments: The department is altering workflows with Foundever to better manage renewal demand.
- Monitoring: Officials are tracking volumes and will continue to refine the service to prevent future backlogs.
Dornan acknowledged he had overstated how smooth the switch would be but said he still has confidence that the new private operator can deliver appropriate care for New Brunswickers.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Switch from eVisitNB to Foundever | June 30, 2026 |
| Province announces online renewal option | July 2026 (ongoing implementation) |
Impact for patients
Patients who rely on regular prescription renewals said delays were causing stress and extra work to secure timely refills. The province's changes are intended to reduce the number of patients who must schedule a virtual visit simply to obtain an existing medication. Those who continue to experience difficulty should contact the provincial telehealth service for guidance and watch for updates from the Department of Health about the new online renewal process.
The shift from one private provider to another comes after the pandemic-era service was replaced. Officials say the lack of shared usage data from the former vendor led to underestimated demand projections — a factor the province is now addressing as it fine-tunes the new system.
The Canadian Press first reported the developments on July 15, 2026.
Zoe Novak, InfoRadar — New Brunswick
