Rural and Remote
Saskatchewan’s Health Research Strategy identifies rural and remote health services research as one of several priority areas requiring early action. In 2006, SHRF embarked on a province-wide consultative process in an effort to discover what people perceive as the challenges, needs and strengths in rural and remote health services research.
From the voices of more than 55 participants, we heard that community both defines and guides the delivery of health care services in rural and remote Saskatchewan and that research can provide workable solutions to many of the unique health care challenges posed by Saskatchewan’s vast geography. We also heard a number of guiding principles and themes that reflect the realities of Saskatchewan’s ever-changing demographic profile. From these, we were able to define five key actions as important stepping stones in building on the successes and strengths of our province in this important, growing area of research. They were:
- create a health authorities rural and remote health services research network;
- hold a biennial summit on rural and remote health services research;
- create a chair in rural and remote health services research;
- increase health research funding for community colloboration; and
- increase capacity investments.
These findings were outlined in detail in a report titled Our Sense of Community Well Being: The value of rural and remote health services research in Saskatchewan.
Copies of the report and discussion paper are available to download:
