In British Columbia, surgery wait times are about to get a drastic decrease, thanks to a bold new initiative. By promoting low-acuity surgeries in rural hospitals, this model has been touted as a “win-win-win-win-win-win” by Paul Adams, executive director of the BC Rural Health Network. This approach attempts to build the most out of current assets and infrastructure available in rural communities to deliver high-quality healthcare in a more localized setting.
A new research study provides a strong endorsement for this approach. Jude Kornelsen, an associate professor and co-director of the Centre for Rural Health Research at the University of British Columbia, spearheaded the research. The study focused on seven rural hospitals in Creston, Revelstoke, Golden, Fernie, Smithers, Hazelton and Vanderhoof. Kornelsen found that patients had good results regardless of their surgeon’s location or identity. This finding points to a major opportunity to improve access to high-quality surgical care in these communities.
One initiative that’s been particularly effective in providing aid to rural hospitals throughout the province is the Rural Surgical and Obstetrical Network (RSON). Kornelsen highlighted the benefits of this program, stating, “The intent of regionalization was to bring health care closer to home.” He noted that residents from Golden, who previously needed to travel to Vancouver for specialist care, can now receive services in Cranbrook.
Despite the advantages of regionalization, a cultural stigma persists regarding the quality of care at rural hospitals compared to larger facilities. Kornelsen pointed out that while surgical teams in these smaller hospitals may possess the necessary skills, they often lack confidence due to infrequent surgeries and limited collaborative opportunities.
Adams echoed these sentiments, stating that promoting low-acuity surgeries could enhance local primary care by attracting healthcare professionals to small communities. He shared a powerful story about how the burden of traveling for care impacts his patients. He referred to it as a “self-fulfilling prophecy” which increases stress and inflates out-of-pocket expenses.
In Canada, physicians can receive additional training in order to establish advanced surgical skills or to specialize as family physician anesthetists. Kornelsen has become an advocate for this model, promoting it as a “made-in-B.C. It makes a smart use of the current infrastructure and already-trained family physicians that rural areas have.
The research included a head-to-head look at what happened to patients at rural hospitals versus those seen at regional referral centers. These findings highlighted the potential impact of increasing surgical capacity in rural communities to enhance patient access. It might even achieve results that exceed those of bigger campuses.