New Brunswick's provincial flag flies on a flag pole in Ottawa on June 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
New Brunswick's virtual health-care service, eVisitNB, has been found to violate provincial language laws by failing to consistently offer services in French, according to the province's official languages commissioner, Shirley MacLean. MacLean issued two investigation reports this week in response to complaints about eVisitNB, highlighting the potentially harmful consequences of denying medical and mental health consultations in patients' preferred language.
Between October 2022 and February 2023, MacLean received seven complaints under the Official Languages Act regarding deficiencies in eVisitNB's French-language services. None of the complainants were able to access the requested services. MacLean emphasized the importance of prioritizing language rights, especially in the increasingly technology-driven healthcare landscape.
Despite eVisitNB providing around 280,000 virtual visits to New Brunswickers in the 2023-24 fiscal year, the reports revealed ongoing issues with language accessibility. One problem highlighted by eVisitNB was the possibility of users being paired with providers who only speak English if they fail to select their preferred language during registration.
eVisitNB is operated by Maple, a Toronto-based company offering online medical services nationwide. Maple acknowledged a technical error that required users to manually change language settings to receive care in their preferred language. The company promptly addressed the issue for new users and reached out to existing patients to rectify their language settings.
New Brunswick's Official Languages Act, established in 1969, mandates bilingual services across provincial institutions. MacLean stressed that the inability to access healthcare in one's preferred language goes beyond denying legal rights and can have serious consequences. Complaints also highlighted instances where French services, when available, were of poor quality, and an automated message warned of potential delays for non-English users.
In most cases, French-speaking clients submitted requests in French but received responses in English due to misunderstandings, leading to frustration and potential risks. MacLean recommended changes to eVisitNB's website and app to ensure language choices do not prejudice users.
The provincial Health Department has investigated the complaints and implemented several of MacLean's recommendations, including ensuring staffing capacity in both official languages for each shift. Patients are encouraged to set their device language preference before accessing eVisitNB to streamline language selection.
The language accessibility issues underscore broader concerns about ensuring equitable access to healthcare services, particularly for minority language speakers. MacLean's reports serve as a reminder of the ongoing challenges in upholding language rights and the importance of proactive measures to address language barriers in healthcare delivery.
In conclusion, New Brunswick's eVisitNB faces criticism for failing to consistently offer French-language services, highlighting broader concerns about language accessibility in healthcare. While efforts have been made to address the issues, further action is needed to ensure equitable access for all patients, regardless of language preference.
