National Summit on Equitable Access to Medical Transport in Rural Canada. Summary Report.

Rural medical patient transport in Canada is a wicked problem. The Rural Road Map for Action identified transport as a major factor affecting equitable access to medical care. Nowhere is this problem more obvious than in remote Indigenous communities, although even well-resourced rural communities struggle.

Stress around arranging medical transport has been identified as a key factor in the retention of providers in rural areas. The geography, available resources, and struggling health care systems are all factors adding to the challenge. This has persisted for decades, despite efforts of many to improve the system. So how do we begin to address the issue, given increasing complexity and decreasing resources evident every day?