The experiences of rural British Columbians accessing surgical and obstetrical care
The attrition of small volume surgical and maternity services in rural Canada over the past three decades has made access to these services especially challenging for rural citizens. While many of these closures have occurred as consequences of regionalization, a strategy to regionally centralize healthcare services, many studies investigating outcomes of regionalization have focused on costs and medical endpoints rather than the direct experiences of the rural patients affected. In this study, we aimed to understand and document the experiences of rural residents accessing procedural and maternity care both locally and away from home. This study is part of a larger evaluation framework which prioritizes the insight of rural residents regarding healthcare issues. We conducted focus groups and interviews with 54 participants in six communities across British Columbia’s southeastern and northern regions. Thematic analysis showed that rural residents experienced unique challenges when leaving their communities to access care. This included logistics of travel, poor coordination of care between multiple providers, and financial and psychosocial issues. Despite being mostly content with the medical care received, participants expressed needing more attention to their unique needs and preferences as patients leaving their home communities for care. Understanding these challenges facilitates the planning of healthcare services in a more equitable manner. Our findings suggest that we need increased patient-centered healthcare planning that aims to alleviate the financial and psychosocial strain on rural residents.
Related content
-
Policy & Measurement
“Feedback is indeed a dainty dish to set before the Trust”: Comparing how online patient feedback is responded to and used across three hospital Trusts in England
Patients are increasingly reporting about their healthcare experiences in an unsolicited manner online. This emerging resource may offer valuable opportunities for organisational learning. Our study aimed to compare how online patient feedback was responded to and used for improvement in three hospital Trusts. Ethnographic data were collected across three hospital Trusts in England, recruited according
Learn more -
Policy & Measurement | Quality & Clinical Excellence
Errors of Omission: The Impact of What is NOT Done on Patient Experience
Systems for information gathering are designed to capture the impact of our actions and interactions with patients but not the impact of our inaction – the steps not taken – which can significantly affect the quality of care and patient experience.
Learn more -
Culture & Leadership | Policy & Measurement
Global Perspectives on Human Experience: Where we stand and new frontiers
Listen as Jason A. Wolf, PhD, CPXP, President & CEO, The Beryl Institute discusses the perspectives of human experience globally and how we can and must elevate and transform what matters to both those served by healthcare and those who show up to serve each day. Get an early peek at the latest global consumer
Learn more