New Brunswick’s government says it is making changes to its new virtual health-care service after some patients reported delays renewing prescriptions following a provider change at the end of June.
Government identifies data gap behind surge in requests
Health Minister Dr. John Dornan acknowledged the volume of renewal requests was “much higher than anticipated” because data on past demand were not shared by the previous provider. The province moved to a new private virtual-care contractor, Foundever, on June 30, replacing the pandemic-era private service eVisitNB.
The absence of historical volume figures meant officials underestimated how many patients would seek prescription renewals through the new system, resulting in longer waits and frustration among some users.
Planned changes to speed up renewals
Among the measures the health department is introducing is a new pathway that will allow patients to request prescription renewals online directly, without having to go through a symptom-checker stage and book a virtual appointment.
- Provider change: eVisitNB replaced by Foundever on June 30.
- Main fix: direct online renewal requests to bypass symptom-checker and appointment queue.
- Minister’s stance: Dr. Dornan accepted responsibility for saying the transition would be seamless but said he still has confidence in Foundever.
Patients had complained publicly and in local media that, under the new arrangement, they were required to schedule virtual appointments through a busy telehealth line simply to request a prescription refill — a process they said was creating unnecessary delays.
Accountability and confidence
Dr. Dornan said he takes responsibility for assurances the switch would be smooth but continued to express trust in the private contractor’s ability to provide the service New Brunswickers need. The minister indicated corrective steps would be implemented to reduce wait times and make the renewal process more direct.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Previous provider | eVisitNB |
| New provider | Foundever |
| Switch date | June 30 |
| Key change promised | Online prescription renewals without symptom-checker |
Officials did not publish a timeline for when the direct online renewal option would be available. The health minister said improvements are being made to address the problems raised by patients and that the government remains committed to ensuring timely virtual access to care.
The shift marks another turn in the province’s use of private virtual-care contractors that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the government implements fixes, patients and clinicians will be watching for measurable reductions in wait times and clearer, easier procedures for routine prescription renewals.
Reporting for InfoRadar.
