Community Engagement Integral to Reimagining Rural and Remote Physiotherapy in Saskatchewan: Findings from a World...

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Physiotherapy
• Rural Health

Background:

• Physiotherapy services are crucial for rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
• Access to these services is often limited in underserved areas.
• Addressing these disparities is essential for equitable healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop recommendations for enhancing physiotherapy access in Saskatchewan's underserved regions.
• To identify key strategies for improving healthcare delivery in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
• To inform policy and practice for better physiotherapy service provision.

Main Methods:

• A World Café-facilitated discussion involving 55 multi-stakeholder participants.
• Qualitative content analysis of data captured during the discussion.
• Exploration of community-identified solutions for physiotherapy access.

Main Results:

• Community engagement emerged as a central theme.
• Key categories identified include training, recruitment, retention, care models, and virtual care.
• Interconnectedness of these factors impacts service accessibility.

Conclusions:

• Recommendations focus on targeted training, recruitment, and retention of physiotherapists.
• Supporting physiotherapists in isolated practice environments is vital.
• Community engagement is fundamental for sustainable and effective physiotherapy access improvements.