Successes and lessons learned

John Wootton, MD
Scientific editor, CJRM
Shawville, Que.

CJRM 2001;6(2):97.

The publication of this issue of CJRM is remarkable in several ways. It is the 20th issue of a journal that many felt had little hope of success. It has, however, not only succeeded but prospered, and we celebrate this achievement with a special cover. The thumbnails not only record the past but include the present and, like a hall of mirrors, stretch into the future.

CJRM's 5th Anniversary poster
A limited-edition poster has been created from this issue's cover and will be for sale from the CJRM editorial office and at Hockley Valley.

CD-ROM on hepatitis C
Another "first" is the inclusion with this issue of a CD-ROM on the practical management of hepatitis C. This CD-ROM has proved itself in Manitoba, where it demonstrably reduced the number of unnecessary consults with specialists and, for rural residents in particular, the amount of travel, disruption and associated expenses. With the support of the Hepatitis C Division of Health Canada, the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) is able to provide this CD-ROM free of charge to more than 5000 CJRM readers. This is one tangible example of the kind of innovative collaboration in support of rural Canadians that is possible between organizations and government.

Federal Office of Rural Health
This is also an opportune time to report on my term in the Office of Rural Health (ORH), where I have been Executive Director since September 1998. What have been the successes and the lessons learned?

The most striking lesson is the recognition that it is possible to introduce from-the-field-perspectives at a high level and have them accepted and valued. In the 2½ years that I have been with the Office we have become more aware of the scope of the issues, the number of related communities of interest, and the avenues available for action. Some initiatives are well launched, and others are on their way, but in the larger scheme of things we have barely begun. The Federal Minister of Health has announced that he will form a Ministerial Advisory Council on Rural Health; this will help to maintain momentum and attention on rural health issues and it highlights the benefits of long-term engagement.

I have discovered that we have many friends from whom we can learn, and who can learn from us. At a recent visit to a policy conference put on by the National Rural Health Association in Washington DC, I was struck by the strength in numbers of that organization, which brings together many groups under the one rural health banner. Interestingly they perceive us, primarily as a result of the efforts of the SRPC, as having done a better job of getting rural service issues onto the agenda than have they.

Much remains to be done, but the successes to date bode well for the future of rural health in Canada and are indicative of the role that both the SRPC and the ORH can play.

© 2001 Society of Rural Physicians of Canada