In a paradoxical twist that highlights New Brunswick’s ongoing healthcare struggles, a new family health clinic in Moncton has opened its doors—without a single family doctor on staff. The Mapleton Medical Clinic, which began accepting patients last month, represents both innovation and desperation in a province where nearly 70,000 residents remain on waiting lists for primary care.
“We’ve created something of a hybrid model out of necessity,” explains Nurse Practitioner Sarah Leblanc, who serves as the clinic’s primary care provider. “While the ideal scenario would include family physicians, the reality of doctor shortages has forced us to adapt and find alternative solutions to meet immediate community needs.”
The clinic operates with a team of nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and administrative staff, offering walk-in services for non-emergency issues that would otherwise flood emergency departments. This approach aims to bridge critical gaps in New Brunswick’s healthcare system, which has faced mounting pressure from staffing shortages and increasing patient loads.
Health Minister Bruce Fitch acknowledged the situation’s complexity during a recent press conference. “While we continue aggressive recruitment for physicians, we must simultaneously develop models that maximize the skills of all healthcare professionals. Nurse practitioners can diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, and manage many common health concerns.”
Data from the New Brunswick Medical Society shows the province needs approximately 300 additional family physicians to meet current demand. The shortage disproportionately affects rural communities and vulnerable populations, including seniors and those with chronic conditions.
Critics, including Opposition health critic Robert McKee, have raised concerns about this stopgap approach. “While nurse practitioners provide excellent care within their scope of practice, this doesn’t address the fundamental need for comprehensive family medicine,” McKee noted. “We’re witnessing the normalization of a crisis situation rather than solving the underlying problem.”
Patients, however, express mixed feelings. Moncton resident Jennifer Cormier, who has been without a family doctor for three years, told CO24 News: “I’m grateful to have somewhere to go when my children are sick instead of waiting eight hours at the emergency room. But I still worry about continuity of care and who manages more complex health issues.”
The clinic has implemented electronic health records to help maintain continuity despite the lack of a dedicated family physician, allowing different practitioners to access complete patient histories. They’ve also developed partnerships with specialists who accept direct referrals from nurse practitioners, streamlining the process for patients requiring advanced care.
Health policy experts point to the Mapleton clinic as emblematic of broader Canadian healthcare challenges. “We’re seeing similar adaptations across multiple provinces,” notes Dr. Emily Richardson, healthcare policy researcher at Dalhousie University. “These hybrid models may become more common as we reckon with physician shortages that simply cannot be solved overnight.”
The clinic serves approximately 120 patients daily, with demand consistently exceeding capacity. Wait times average two hours—significantly better than emergency departments but still indicative of the system’s strain.
Provincial health authorities have promised additional resources, including the potential addition of a part-time physician in coming months, but no firm timeline has been established. Meanwhile, recruitment efforts continue with enhanced incentive packages for physicians considering relocation to New Brunswick.
As communities across the Maritimes watch this experiment unfold, one question remains at the forefront: Can innovative staffing models adequately address healthcare needs, or are they merely delaying a reckoning with Canada’s deepening physician shortage?
