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Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine
CJRM Spring 2000 / printemps 2000

President's message: Ongoing challenges and passing the torch

Patricia Vann, MD

CJRM 2000;5(2):59


This February the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) and the Canadian Medical Association released statistics that showed rural Canada is short some 1600 physicians. The number of rural doctors decreased 15% between 1994 and 1998. Our already vulnerable communities, isolated from secondary and tertiary centres by the challenges of climate and geography, are now cared for, per capita, by fewer than a third of the number of general practitioners that practise in urban communities. How much longer can those working in the field continue to provide the services needed in these areas? What hope is there for the future of rural medicine?

Members of the SRPC (rural doctors like yourself) have worked hard in the past 8 years for equitable health care for rural Canadians and sustainable working conditions for rural physicians. It is starting to pay off. Compensation for call is now the norm. Training programs are beginning to change so that physicians will graduate with the necessary clinical competence and skills to practise in rural areas. Students are considering rural medicine as a rewarding career choice. Partnerships have been formed with many organizations concerned with improving rural health care delivery. The SRPC partnered with HealthSat and through a satellite Canadian Medical Forum Editorial Board is developing relevant CME programs to be broadcast directly to your home or office. These programs will help make it easier for us to keep in touch and to keep up to date.

The Office of Rural Health (ORH) at Health Canada continues to focus attention on rural health issues at the federal level. In April 2000 the ORH will launch the $11-million Rural and Remote Health Innovations and Initiative. This is one of several initiatives supported by a $50-million fund announced in the February 1999 budget, for Innovations in Rural and Community Health. These initiatives will provide us with the opportunity to seek funding to implement several of the projects that we have been promoting as so important to the future of rural health care.

Proposed projects will include the following: defining the scope of practice; working toward a national rural locum licence; defining emergency-relevant triage protocols; and developing advanced skills for rural physicians on an ongoing basis.

I urge each of you to come forward now, join the SRPC and help with these new initiatives. It is only together that we can hope to turn things around and make things happen. The two messages that I have delivered over and over again as your president for the last 2 years is that rural health care is unique and that the providers in rural and remote Canada are very special people. I have been proud to represent you for the last few years and look forward to working with the incoming executive as we continue to move forward.


Correspondence to: Dr. Patricia Vann, c/o SRPC, Box 893, Shawville QC J0X 2Y0

© 2000 Society of Rural Physicians of Canada