About Primary Care
Primary care is usually defined as the first point of entry with the health care system. It is generally delivered by a family doctor or nurse practitioner and includes services like medical appointments, walk-in clinics, mental health services, virtual care, and more.
The New Brunswick Health Council (NBHC) conducts two surveys related to primary care: the Primary Health Survey and the Primary Care Survey.
Primary Health Survey
The Primary Health Survey is the most comprehensive health services survey in N.B. The Primary Health Survey aims to better understand and report on New Brunswickers' self-rated health determinants, their use and their experiences with primary health services in their communities.
In this survey, New Brunswickers are asked about:
- Their self-rated health and health behaviours.
- Their access to family doctors and nurse practitioners as well as their experience with their providers .
- Their use and experience with emergency departments, specialists, after-hours clinics, community health centres, and ambulance services.
The survey also asks questions about mental health & addictions services, chronic health condition management, and barriers to accessing health care.
The Primary Health Survey has been conducted every three years since 2011. Each time, over 13,500 citizens in New Brunswick complete the survey.
The results from the 2020 Primary Health Survey are available on the 2020 Edition page.
The results are available at the provincial, zone and community level.
For more information on the Primary Health Survey, please consult our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
Primary Care Survey
The Primary Care Survey is a shorter version of the Primary Health Survey. This Survey aims to better understand citizens’ use and experiences with primary care services in New Brunswick and in their health zones.
In this survey, New Brunswickers are asked about:
- Their access and their experience with their primary care providers.
- Their use of other primary care settings like after-hours clinics and Tele-Care, eVisit NB and in consultations with pharmacists.
The survey also asks questions about virtual care consultations, mental health & addictions services, chronic health condition management, and barriers to accessing health care.
The Primary Care Survey has been conducted every year since 2022. Each cycle, over 5000 citizens in New Brunswick complete the survey.
The results from the 2022 survey were released on June 21 2023, and can be found on the 2022 Edition page. The data collection for the next cycle of the Primary Care Survey will begin in October 2023.
The results are available at the provincial and zone level.
For more information about the Primary Care Survey, please consult our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
