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Our professional organizations have prepared this paper as part of an integrated, multidisciplinary plan to ensure the availability of well-trained practitioner teams to sustain safe, effective and high-quality rural surgical and operative delivery services. Without these robust local (or nearby) surgical services, sustaining rural maternity care is much more difficult. This paper describes the "network model" as a health human resources solution to meet the surgical needs, including operative delivery, of rural residents; outlines necessary policy directions for achieving this solution; and poses a series of enabling recommendations.

Background: In Canada, endoscopy is primarily performed by gastroenterologists and surgeons, and some studies report that colon oscopies performed by nongastroenterologists have more complications and higher rates of future colorectal cancer. Our objective was to determine whether rural-based nongastroenterologist endoscopists are achieving quality benchmarks in colonoscopy. Methods: This quality improvement initiative prospectively evaluated 6 key performance indicators (KPIs) (cecal intubations, polyp detection [males and females; for first-time colonoscopies on patients aged ≥ 50 yr], bowel preparations, patient comfort and withdrawal times) on consecutive colonoscopies performed by participating Alberta North Zone endoscopists. The study period was June 2018 to March 2020. Overall and individual endoscopist's KPIs were compared with standard benchmarks. Additional performance indicators included mean number of polyps per colonoscopy and an exploration of study-defined sedation-related level of consciousness. Results: Data were collected on 6212 colonoscopies performed by 16 endoscopists (9 surgeons, 5 family physicians and 2 internists) in 6 hospitals. All 6 KPI benchmarks were achieved when results were pooled over all endoscopists in the study. Overall, cecal intubation occurred in 6006 of 6209 (96.7%, 95% confidence interval 94.5%--99.0%) cases. Polyp detection was 65.9% (592/898) and 49.8% (348/699) for male and female patients, respectively, aged 50 years or older. Variability in individual endoscopist results existed, especially for the mean number of polyps per 100 colonoscopies and sedation-related level of consciousness. Interpretation: Overall, Alberta North Zone endoscopists are performing high-quality colonoscopies, collectively achieving all 6 KPIs. To understand endoscopic performance and encourage individual and group reflection on endoscopic practices, Canadian endoscopists are encouraged to participate in similar colonoscopy quality initiative studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Time is long overdue for action to improve rural surgical services in Canada. In this issue of CJS, a proposed curriculum for the provision of enhanced surgical skills (ESS) to rural family physicians offers an opportunity to fortify a seamless network of high-quality surgical care for rural Canada. It is supported and enhanced by the best available evidence and measured advice from specialists and generalists alike. Publication of this curriculum proposal provides for essential dialogue with general surgeons. We discuss why we must play an active role in the development, teaching and evaluation of ESS, or we will have minimal influence and limited grounds on which to criticize its outcome or celebrate the opportunity of success it promises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]