THE RURAL ROAD MAP

The Advancing Rural Family Medicine: Canadian Collaborative Taskforce (Taskforce) is a joint initiative of the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). The goal of this joint initiative is to enhance equitable access to health care and improve patient outcomes in rural and remote communities in Canada.

The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) formed the Rural Road Map Implementation Committee (RRMIC) in February 2018 to support the implementation of the Rural Road Map for Action (RRM). The RRMIC provides a forum for members to report and deliberate on how to advance the RRM in ways that can be scaled and shared locally, provincially, and at a pan-Canadian level.

The RRMIC will support the dissemination of success stories and discuss strategic opportunities to influence the broader uptake of the RRM.

RURAL ROAD MAP FOR ACTION LAUNCH

A national summit was hosted on February 22, 2017 in Ottawa dedicated to improving health care access and equity in rural communities in Canada. The Summit marked the launch of the Rural Road Map for Action that provides 20 recommendations to enhance rural health care. The recommendations identify four directions outlined in the Rural Road Map that aim to:

Reinforce the social accountability mandate of medical schools and residency programs to address health care needs of rural and Indigenous communities
Implement policy interventions that align medical education with workforce planning
Establish practice models that provide rural and Indigenous communities with timely access to quality health care
Institute a national rural research agenda to support rural workforce planning aimed at improving access to patient-centered and quality-focused care in rural Canada

The Summit focused on how the recommendations can be translated into actions that are coordinated, comprehensive, measurable, and sustainable. The aim is to engage all stakeholders in applying these recommendations to future policy-making and planning, as well as to identify roles in addressing issues related to health care equity for rural Canada. The Summit united national leaders in education, practice and human resource planning, as well as physicians of rural and Indigenous communities. We are pleased to share the final report of the Summit to Improve Health Care Access and Equity for Rural Communities in Canada.

The latest update

June 18, 2021

Rural Road Map Implementation Committee Final Update: Summer 2021

Since its inception in February 2018, the Rural Road Map Implementation Committee (RRMIC) has raised awareness across Canada about the need for improved access to health care close to home for patients in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. RRMIC has released several resources and publications related to specific activities and accomplishments achieved in implementing the Rural Road Map for Action.

Rural Road Map: Report card on access to health care in rural Canada

Since its formation in 2018, the Rural Road Map Implementation Committee (RRMIC) has made important contributions to enhancing access to care for people living in rural and remote areas of Canada. Our work is based on the four priority areas identified in the Rural Road Map for Action, social accountability, policy interventions, best practice models, and rural research.

In this report card we highlight key activities that RRMIC’s partner and stakeholder organizations have undertaken that advance these priorities. We provide an overall assessment of progress made on the 20 actions that form the framework of the Rural Road Map. In 2021 we are exploring what comes next in our drive to ensure everyone in Canada has access to the care they need close to home.

11 page PDF Document

To support equitable access to health care and to improve the health of individuals living in rural and remote Canada, the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) developed a guide for educators, healthcare practitioners, administrators, policymakers, and researchers. The Rural Road Map for Action described in this 11-minute video, shares four directions and 20 actions that will enhance rural health care if enacted across Canada.

Everyone has a role in the successful implementation of the Rural Road Map for Action—whether it's disseminating it to key stakeholders, sharing progress made, or advocating for its use to influence education, practice, policy, and research activities. The CFPC and the SRPC, along with its Rural Road Map Implementation Committee, invite CFPC members to join to improve equitable health care access for rural, northern, and remote Canada.

The Rural Road Map Implementation Committee (RRMIC)

The Rural Road Map Implementation Committee (RRMIC) was formed by the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) to support the implementation of the Rural Road Map for Action (RRM). Membership includes representatives from SRPC, CFPC, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, Canadian Medical Association, Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, Federation of Canadian Municipalities, HealthCareCAN, Canadian Association for Rural and Remote Nursing, Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, Canadian Association of Staff Physician Recruiters, as well as experts in rural and Indigenous health research.

Rural Road Map Implementation Committee (2018 - 2021)

Executive

Dr. James Rourke (SRPC Co-chair)
Dr. Ruth Wilson (CFPC Co-chair)
Dr. Gabe Woollam (SRPC President)
Dr. Margaret Tromp (SRPC Past-President)
Dr. Francine Lemire (CFPC Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer)
Dr. Shirley Schipper (CFPC President)

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Member Organizations

Mr. Jean Bartkowiak (HealthCareCAN)
Mr. Neil Drimer (Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement)
Dr. Rick Fleet (Rural Emergency Medicine, Laval University)
Dr. Douglas Hedden (Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada)
Dr. Alexandra King (CAMECO, Chair, Indigenous Health, University of Saskatchewan)
Dr. Roy Kirkpatrick (Rural Specialist, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Ms. Jennifer Kitts (Canadian Medical Association)
Dr. Darlene Kitty (Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada)
Ms. Patricia Latendresse (Federation of Canadian Municipalities)
Mr. Bryan MacLean (Canadian Association of Staff Physician Recruiters)
Ms. Karey Shuhendler, (Canadian Nurses Association)
Dr. Preston Smith (Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada)
Dr. David Snadden (Chair, Rural Health, University of British Columbia)
Ms. Michelle Pavloff (Canadian Association for Rural and Remote Nursing)
Ms. Sarah Nolan (Canadian Nurses Association)
Dr. Brian Geller (Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians)

Advancing Rural Family Medicine: The Canadian Collaborative Taskforce (2014-2017)

Executive

Dr. Trina Larsen-Soles (Co-chair)
Dr. Ruth Wilson (Co-chair)
Dr. Braam de Klerk (SRPC Past-President)
Dr. Kathy Lawrence (CFPC Past- President)
Dr. Francine Lemire (CFPC Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer)
Dr. Tom Smith-Windsor (SRPC Past-President)
Dr. John Soles (SRPC Past-President)

Members

Dr. Stefan Grzybowski
Dr. Ken Harris
Dr. Darlene Kitty
Dr. Jill Konkin
Ms. Rachel Munday
Dr. Colin Newman
Dr. Alain Papineau
Dr. Jim Rourke
Dr. Karl Stobbe
Dr. Roger Strasser
Dr. David White / Dr Jennifer Hall
Dr. Granger Avery
Mr. Paul Clarke

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Contact the SRPC

What We Do

As part of a work plan to be completed by 2020, the Rural Road Map Implementation Committee plans to pursue these key activities:

Practice-based activity: Develop a strategy to advance accreditation standards for the timely transfer of patients in rural communities to improve quality of care
Education-based activity: Provide a summary of work being done across Canada to advance rural and Indigenous health competencies in health professions education
Research-based activity: Develop a pan-Canadian rural health care research strategy
Community-based activity: Advance community engagement in rural health care delivery planning
Government/policy-based activities:
1. Federal level: Develop a strategy to advance the Rural Road Map (RRM) with rural and Indigenous caucus groups and create an approach for a pre-budget submission for the 2019 federal budget to support a rural health care and workforce strategy
2. Provincial/territorial level: Continue to establish an effective liaison relationship with the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee on Health Workforce to support RRM advancement
Capitalize on opportunities for partnerships and funding

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