• Stuart Iglesias, George Carson, Ruth WilsonCCProfessor Emerita in the Department of Family Medicine at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont, and a family physician practising in Yellowknife, NWT., Beverley A Orser, David R Urbach, Ryan Falk, Douglas Hedden, Victor Ng, Roy Wyman, Mark Walsh, Nancy Humber, Peter Miles, and Jennifer Blake.
• Retired rural family physician with anesthesia and surgical skills in Bella Bella, BC. siglesias64@gmail.com.
• Can Fam Physician. 2022 Apr 1; 68 (4): 258-262.

ObjectiveTo describe the essential components of well-resourced and high-functioning multidisciplinary networks that support high-quality anesthesia, surgery, and maternity care for rural Canadians, delivered as close to home as possible.Composition Of The CommitteeA volunteer Writers' Group was drawn from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Canadian Association of General Surgeons, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and the Association of Canadian University Departments of Anesthesia.MethodsA collaborative effort over the past several years among the professional stakeholders has culminated in this consensus statement on networked care designed to integrate and support a specialist and non-specialist, urban and rural, anesthesia, surgery, and maternity work force into high-functioning networks based on the best available evidence.ReportSurgical and maternity triage needs to be embedded within networks to address the tensions between sustainable regional programs and local access to care. Safety and quality must be demonstrated to be equivalent across similar patients and procedures, regardless of network site. Triage of patients across multiple sites is a quality outcome metric requiring continuous iterative scrutiny. Clinical coaching between rural and regional centres can be helpful in building and sustaining high-functioning networks. Maintenance of quality and the provision of continuing professional development in low-volume settings represent a mutual value proposition.ConclusionThe trusting relationships that are foundational to successful networks are built through clinical coaching, continuing professional development, and quality improvement. Currently, a collaborative effort in British Columbia is delivering a provincial program-Rural Surgical Obstetrical Networks-built on the principles and supporting evidence described in this consensus statement.Copyright © 2022 the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

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