Rural docs want national standards on patient transport

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/05/2023 (1116 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rural physicians are calling for national standards on patient transfers to combat systemic racism and expand equitable access to health care for Canadians no matter where they live.

“Every person in this country deserves access to high-quality care. It doesn’t mean that you have to live in an urban centre to get high-quality care,” said Dr. Sarah Lespérance, president of the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada and a general practitioner in Petitcodiac, N.B.

“I think everyone really recognizes a need, and really wants to see some national standards and a plan in place that improves how we co-ordinate care, how we deliver care, and really breaks down some of those barriers.”

The group held a summit in Ottawa this month that brought together health practitioners, transport agencies and government partners to focus on equalizing medical transportation.

National standards could formalize patient transfer agreements across provincial borders, rely more heavily on virtual appointments, centralize searches for available beds and specialists, and support patients so they can return home faster, Lespérance said.

“We saw a lot of willingness to collaborate, and I think we’ll be able to move forward with some of these issues and really help improve access to care and reduce those times that people have to wait to get to the care that they need,” Lespérance said.

Formalizing agreements across borders could help rural residents get the quickest and closest treatment, including patients travelling between Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, for example. Working together on medical transports could help to retain rural doctors, she said.

“Nurses and doctors and other health-care professionals are really going to feel more supported if they’re not left on their own to deal with these challenges and we work collaboratively to support them.”

The call for a standardized plan comes after a 2021 call to action from rural and family physicians across Canada.

katie.may@winnipegfreepress.com