New legislation will mean some surgical procedures can be performed outside of hospitals.
The Health Facilities Act was introduced in the New Brunswick Legislature on Tuesday.
Health Minister Bruce Fitch says it will help alleviate pressures on the hospital system.
“This will open operating suites for other surgeries to be performed in their place,” Fitch adds.
It will also ensure that no person who is entitled to a funded surgical service will be required to pay for that service or be able to pay for priority access,” he said.
The government plans to first look at cataract surgeries and other high-demand procedures.
A pilot program in Bathurst and Miramichi which has cataract surgeries being performed in clinics has shown positive results and reduced the wait list for these procedures.
Under the Act, any surgical facility outside a hospital will be required to operate under an agreement with a regional health authority and be approved by the Department of Health.
