Maya De Zoysa, MD, FRCPC
West Nipissing General Hospital, Sturgeon Falls, ON

There are significant differences in health care access and outcomes in rural and underserved communities. Focusing on the predominantly Francophone community of Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, this presentation aims to shed light onto the challenges in accessing respiratory care, and differences in outcomes, compared to more urban regions. It will also explore how these barriers may be addressed with multidisciplinary programs currently in place in other regions of Ontario, and how the programs could be implemented in Northern Ontario.

Learning Objectives
At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:

  • Describe the various challenges in providing optimal respiratory care in Northern Ontario, including population characteristics, access to primary and specialist care, multidisciplinary support, and testing capabilities;
  • Analyze the differences in respiratory health care outcomes in Northern Ontario, including ER visits and hospitalizations, compared to other regions of Ontario; and
  • Review evidence supporting multidisciplinary programs in respiratory care and their possible applications in Northern Ontario.

CanMEDS Roles: Collaborator, Communicator, Health Advocate, Leader