The Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) is a provincial health organization that provides comprehensive healthcare services across Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the largest employer in the province, with a workforce of over 24,000 people delivering healthcare and support services in hospitals, health centers, and community-based programs throughout the region.

History

The NSHA was established on April 1, 2015, through the amalgamation of nine former district health authorities, consolidating them into a single provincial authority. These former authorities included:

• South Shore District Health Authority
• South West District Health Authority
• Annapolis Valley District Health Authority
• Colchester East Hants Health Authority
• Cumberland Health Authority
• Pictou County Health Authority
• Guysborough Antigonish Strait Health Authority
• Cape Breton District Health Authority
• Capital District Health Authority

This restructuring aimed to provide consistent care across the province, reduce wait times, and improve access to community-based healthcare, while maintaining local hospital and health facility services without interruption[2][3][5].

Services and Operations

NSHA delivers a wide range of healthcare services such as inpatient and outpatient care, emergency visits, diagnostic imaging, surgeries, home support, mental health and addictions services, and participates actively in health research. Its statistics for the 2020-2021 period highlight its extensive activity:

• Over 3.1 million outpatient visits
• Nearly 1 million inpatient days
• Close to 500,000 emergency visits
• More than 60,000 operating room surgeries
• Over 17,500 patients involved in research studies
• More than 50,000 mental health and addictions clients

Additionally, over 180,000 Nova Scotians have found a primary care provider through NSHA since November 2016, and the authority delivered over 2.4 million hours of home support to continuing care clients in 2020-2021[1].

Governance and Leadership

In September 2021, following changes in the provincial government, NSHA underwent leadership restructuring. The CEO and volunteer board members were replaced, and an interim CEO was appointed to oversee the organization’s operations[3].

Partnerships

The NSHA works closely with the IWK Health Centre to plan and deliver healthcare services across the province. It also coordinates care through designated zones within Nova Scotia, providing localized healthcare programs suited to the needs of communities in various regions including Central, Eastern, Northern, Western, and Cape Breton areas[5].

Challenges

The authority has faced challenges including public scrutiny related to medical professional misconduct in Nova Scotia[3]. Nonetheless, it continues its mission to improve health outcomes and service delivery across the province.

Business Registration Number: 886143213RR0001

Website: www.nshealth.ca