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 especially challenging for citizens. While many closures have occurred as consequences regionalization, a strategy regionally centralize healthcare services, studies investigating outcomes regionalization focused on costs medical endpoints rather than direct experiences patients affected. In this study, we aimed understand document residents accessing procedural care both locally away from home. This study is part larger evaluation framework which prioritizes insight regarding issues. We conducted focus groups interviews with 54 participants six communities across British Columbia’s southeastern northern regions. Thematic analysis showed that experienced unique challenges when leaving their care. included logistics travel, poor coordination between multiple providers, financial psychosocial Despite being mostly content received, expressed needing more attention needs preferences home Understanding facilitates planning equitable manner. Our findings suggest need increased patient-centered aims alleviate strain residents.