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Leadership message
Dear Colleagues in Health:
Together, we have spent the last year innovating, collaborating, and removing obstacles to foster impactful, measurable improvements in healthcare in our province.
Access to surgery
This year we took an important and overdue step to modernize how patients are referred for surgery, MRIs and ultrasounds. With the launch of eReferrals, Nova Scotia Health created a secure, electronic referral tracking system that helps match patients with the best care option for their needs and preferences – all the while keepings patients and referring providers informed each step of the way. More than 13,000 surgical eReferrals and 8,300 Imaging eReferrals were processed this year.
We also continue to make steady progress in increasing the number of surgeries performed each year, with more than 2,100 additional surgeries completed this year compared to last. While we celebrate these achievements, our teams continue the work to ensure patients get the care they need, sooner.
Access to care
This year, in partnership with the Government of Nova Scotia, we launched the YourHealthNS app, an easy-to-navigate resource for what can be a tricky-to-navigate system. YourHealthNS connects Nova Scotians to the care services they need when they need them. By putting all the tools a patient needs for health information, appointment bookings, and health records in this innovative health app, those in need of healthcare services have the convenience of a one-stop-shop for healthcare information and resources at their fingertips, 24/7.
One year into its launch, there have been more than 400,000 downloads.
Through Community Pharmacy Primary Care Clinics, Pharmacy Walk-in Clinics Plus, Mobile Primary Care Clinics, and Urgent Treatment Centres – in combination with VirtualCareNS and Primary Care Clinics – more than 840,000 care appointments were added to the system this past year – that’s an additional 70,000 appointments each month.
Infrastructure and innovation
An important caveat to reimaging our healthcare system, is creating new spaces that foster collaborative practices and attract and keep talent. This year, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s healthcare redevelopment project continued full steam ahead with construction of projects underway in Sydney at Cape Breton Regional Hospital, on the Northside and in New Waterford.
In addition, the Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre opened in November and has already seen 50,000 patient visits, abbreviating the previously necessary commute to downtown Halifax. Finally, we broke ground for much needed expansion of the QEII Halifax Infirmary.
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In addition, through an innovative partnership with Shannex, we announced the construction of the first transitional care centre in Nova Scotia. By partnering with Shannex, not only will the project be finished sooner, but it will also include the addition of 110 new patient beds. Through the transitional care centre, we are creating a better environment for seniors and other individuals to receive the right level of care they need – outside of an acute care setting – and improving patient flow from emergency departments to admission.
Improving health, together
Nova Scotia Health is a community of more than 40,000 individuals, encompassing employees, doctors, volunteers, researchers and learners, all united in their dedication to meeting the healthcare needs, and improving care and overall health of Nova Scotians. Each day, the Nova Scotia Health team goes above and beyond to ensure patients receive the care they deserve, and we are incredibly grateful for your unparalleled dedication and hard work.
We also would like to express our gratitude to our many partners; the Department of Health and Wellness, IWK Health, Emergency Health Services (EHS), healthcare foundations, auxiliaries, community health boards, patient and family advisors, universities and colleges. Your invaluable contributions, collaborative spirit, innovative approaches, and dedication to healthy communities have played a vital role in enhancing care across our province. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Janet Davidson, Board Administrator, Nova Scotia Health
Karen Oldfield, Interim President and CEO, Nova Scotia Health
Watch: Nova Scotia Health Administrator Welcome Address for Nova Scotia Health 9th Annual General Meeting
Watch: Nova Scotia Health 9th Annual General Meeting
Our stories
Our progress toward a healthier Nova Scotia is best demonstrated through the stories of those who work with us, and those we serve. Below are videos few highlighting some of the work we do.
To read more stories visit www.nshealth.ca
Creating new ways to access care
Nova Scotia Health is continuing to create new ways to access healthcare faster.
With the launch of the YourHealthNS app, Nova Scotians have the ability to connect to the right place for their healthcare, needs at their fingertips.
Learn about the ways Nova Scotians are accessing care in our province including: Virtual Care NS, Mobile Primary Care Clinics, Urgent Treatment Centres, Community Pharmacy Primary Care Clinics and Pharmacy Walk-in Clinics+.
Decreasing surgical wait times
When it comes to surgery, Nova Scotia Health's goals are to reduce wait times for Nova Scotians and ensure they have a high-quality patient experience.
Learn how e-referrals and centralized booking are contributing to progress in decreasing surgical wait times.
System accountability – case study in stroke care
System accountability is about ensuring patient care is a coordinated approach from arrival to discharge, making sure that patients get the best care in a timely manner.
Learn how system accountability is making a difference at Colchester East Hants Health Centre through a case study about care of a stroke patient.
Financial highlights
Nova Scotia Health Expense Allocation 2023-24
Compensation: Includes all salaries and benefits, and funds allocated for temporary staff.
Utilities and plant maintenance: Includes utilities such as fuel, electricity and natural gas, telephone, minor equipment purchases, rentals, various building and equipment maintenance and maintenance supplies.
Medical and surgical supplies: Includes a variety of medical and surgical supplies such as prosthetics, defibrillators, pacemakers, instruments, needles/gloves/dressings and supplies.
Drugs: Includes general drugs, anti-infectives and anesthetic gases.
Clinical research: Includes health innovation, research education and other designated programs.
Other: Includes patient care supporting costs such as general office supplies, food, IT, lab supplies, insurance, etc.
Statement of operating revenue and expenses
Other detailed reports can be found in the PDF documents below:
By the Numbers
Our Resources
- Annual Budget: $3+ billion
Our Places
- Specialty hospital: 1
- Regional hospitals: 9
- Community and other locations (clinical, support and administrative): approximately 220
Foundations and Auxiliaries
- Foundations: 41
- Auxiliaries: 33
- Funding from Foundations and Auxiliaries to buy capital assets: $15,146,804
- Funding from Foundations and Auxiliaries for small equipment and programs: $4,419,354
Community Health Boards
- Community Health Boards: 35
- Number of wellness funds supported through community health boards: 302
- Monetary value of wellness funds granted: $707,140.57
Our People
- Employees (unionized and non-unionized): 29,173
- *Licensed physicians in Nova Scotia: 3,256
Physicians with a registered specialty (not family medicine): 2,000
Physicians whose registered specialty is family medicine: 1,256
*https://cpsns.ns.ca/registration-licensing/registration-licensing-statistics/ - Medical residents in Nova Scotia*: 570
- Medical students in Nova Scotia*: 400
- Learners: 7,585
- Volunteers (number includes 237 PFAs): 1,819
- Affiliate research scientists: 116
- Patient/Family Advisors: 237
Care Delivery
- Beds (staffed and in operation): 3,299 at time of report: (+129)
- Inpatient days: 1,164,585 (+25,369)
- Emergency visits: 523,961 (-29,024)*
- Surgeries: 70,272
- 2,172 additional surgeries were performed since previous year.
- Nearly 20 per cent reduction in surgical wait times: Average wait times for priority surgeries such as hip replacements, knee replacements and cataract surgeries.
- Outpatient visits: 3,907,618 (+353,649)
- Diagnostic imaging exams: 1,139,498 (+112,422)
- Virtual care appointments: 217,727 (+47,871)
- Mobile clinic visits: 20,672 (+15,321)
- Urgent treatment centre visits: 60,612 (+23,653)
- Pharmacy+ visits: 29,122 (+19,942)
- Through Community Pharmacy Primary Care Clinics, Pharmacy Walk-in Clinics Plus, Mobile Primary Care Clinics, Virtual Care Nova Scotia, Primary Care clinics and Urgent Treatment Centres, more than 840,000 care appointments were added to the system this past year – that’s an additional 70,000 appointments each month.
- One year into its launch, there have been more than 400,000 downloads of the YourHealthNS app.
- Patient encounters supported by language interpretation: 29,334 (+16,753)
- Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care supported 33,969 clients to receive care at home through home care agencies. (+2.4%)
- Births (at Nova Scotia Health facilities): 2,658 (April 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2023)
Research Innovation & Discovery: 2023-24 year at a glance
This annual report includes Nova Scotia Health's Innovation Hub 2023-24 Year at a Glance, highlighting how we are transforming care delivery, closing equity gaps, empowering frontline healthcare practitioners to work to their full potential, and leveraging data and modern technologies to drive informed decision-making.
Featured are stories on Big Data, Digital and AI advancements, Health and Clinical Innovations, Social Impact initiatives, Clinical Trials, Centres of Excellence, and significant large-scale funding. Also included are profiles focusing on the skills and expertise of our team.
Our ‘test and try’ philosophy challenges the status quo, focusing on innovation and what’s possible in healthcare. Together, we are shaping a healthier Nova Scotia and demonstrating what can be achieved for the future of Canadian healthcare.
Français
Accélérer l’accès – Les soins de santé en action
Chers collègues,
L’année dernière, nous avons ensemble innové, collaboré et éliminé certains obstacles afin que des améliorations importantes et mesurables puissent être apportées aux soins de santé dans la province.
ACCÈS À UNE CHIRURGIE
Nous avons franchi cette année une étape importante, et attendue depuis longtemps, pour moderniser la façon dont les patients sont orientés vers une intervention chirurgicale, une IRM et une échographie. En mettant sur pied le programme eReferrals, Santé Nouvelle-Écosse a créé un système électronique de suivi sécurisé permettant d’associer les patients aux meilleures options de soins en fonction de leurs besoins et de leurs préférences, tout en tenant informés les patients et les fournisseurs référents à chaque étape du processus. Plus de 13 000 renvois en chirurgie et 8 300 en imagerie ont été traités cette année.
Le nombre d’interventions chirurgicales effectuées chaque année continue également d’augmenter, avec plus de 2 100 opérations cette année par rapport à l’année dernière. Nous sommes très heureux de ces réalisations, mais les équipes poursuivent le travail visant à faire en sorte que les patients reçoivent plus rapidement les soins dont ils ont besoin.
ACCÈS AUX SOINS
Nous avons lancé cette année, en partenariat avec le gouvernement de la Nouvelle-Écosse, l’application YourHealthNS, une ressource conviviale dans un système où naviguer peut être compliqué. YourHealthNS permet en effet de relier les habitants de la province aux services de soins dont ils ont besoin, quand ils en ont besoin. En regroupant dans cette application innovante tous les outils dont un patient a besoin pour obtenir des informations, prendre rendez-vous et consulter son dossier, les personnes ayant besoin de services de santé ont accès sous un même toit, 24 heures sur 24 et 7 jours sur 7, à toutes les informations et ressources nécessaires.
Un an après le lancement de YourHealthNS, plus de 400 000 téléchargements.
Grâce aux cliniques de soins primaires en pharmacie, aux cliniques sans rendez-vous Plus en pharmacie, aux cliniques mobiles de soins primaires et aux centres de traitement d’urgence, et en combinaison avec VirtualCareNS et les cliniques de soins primaires, plus de 840 000 rendez-vous ont été ajoutés au système l’année dernière, soit 70 000 de plus chaque mois.
INFRASTRUCTURE ET INNOVATION
La création de nouveaux espaces permettant de favoriser les pratiques collaboratives ainsi que d’attirer et de retenir les talents fait partie des conditions nécessaires à la réinvention du système de santé. Cette année, le projet de restructuration des soins de santé de la Municipalité régionale du Cap-Breton s’est poursuivi grâce à la réalisation de projets à Sydney, à l’hôpital régional du Cap-Breton, à Northside et à New Waterford.
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De plus, le centre de soins ambulatoires de Bayers Lake a ouvert ses portes en novembre et a déjà traité 50 000 rendez-vous, réduisant ainsi le trajet nécessaire pour se rendre dans le centre-ville d’Halifax. Enfin, la première pierre du chantier d’agrandissement plus qu’indispensable du centre QEII Halifax Infirmary a été posée.
Grâce à un partenariat novateur avec Shannex, nous avons annoncé la construction du premier centre de soins de transition en Nouvelle-Écosse. Cette association permettra non seulement de terminer le projet plus tôt, mais également d’ajouter 110 nouveaux lits.
Le centre de soins de transition permettra de créer un meilleur environnement pour que les personnes âgées et d’autres personnes puissent recevoir les soins dont elles ont besoin – en dehors d’un établissement de soins de courte durée –, ainsi que pour améliorer le flux des patients depuis les services d’urgence jusqu’à leur admission.
AMÉLIORER LA SANTÉ, ENSEMBLE
Santé Nouvelle-Écosse regroupe plus de 40 000 personnes, c’est-à-dire des employés, des médecins, des bénévoles, des chercheurs et des apprenants qui, tous ensemble, se consacrent à répondre aux besoins en matière de soins de santé et à améliorer les soins et la santé des habitants de la province. Chaque jour, ces équipes font tout leur possible pour que les patients reçoivent les soins nécessaires, et nous leur sommes extrêmement reconnaissants pour leur dévouement et tout leur travail.
Nous tenons également à remercier nos nombreux partenaires, le ministère de la Santé et du Mieux-être, IWK Health, les services de santé d’urgence, les fondations de soins de santé, les auxiliaires, les conseils communautaires de santé, les conseillers des patients et des familles, les universités et les collèges. Leur travail inestimable, leur esprit de collaboration, leurs approches innovantes et leur dévouement en matière de santé ont joué un rôle essentiel dans l’amélioration des soins dans toute la province. Merci.
Cordialement,
Janet Davidson, administratrice, Santé Nouvelle-Écosse
Karen Oldfield, présidente et directrice générale par intérim, Santé Nouvelle-Écosse