The new Provincial Health Minister Ted Flemming has a big job on his hands and that's to get control of the rising cost of healthcare which is taking up from 40 to 50 per cent of the Alward Government's budget.
So how do you rebuild the system to make it better and more cost effective? Several hundred people around the province were asked that and Stephane Robichaud of the New Brunswick Health Council tells CHSJ News they believe electronic health records hold great promise for better care.
Robichaud also says New Brunswickers, by and large, believe individuals should be taking greater responsibility for their own care and keeping themselves well but should be provided with more information about how to do that in terms of nutrition and physical activity.
He concludes the health care system in the province works well if your life is in danger but less so if you have a chronic disease that requires continuous care.