Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues Meeting Summaries
September 2025
The JSC met on September 22 and 23, 2025:
Each year, the JSC holds one committee meeting in a rural community to engage with local physicians and to better understand the individual communities’ successes and challenges. This year, the September meeting was held in qathet and included a presentation from local physicians. The Doctors of BC President Elect, Dr Adam Thompson, was also in attendance.
The JSC notionally approved supplementary funding for Northern and Isolation Travel Assistance Outreach Program (NITAOP) helicopter requests for Carrier Sekani Family Services to support access to care closer to home.
A NITAOP Car Rental policy change was approved to allow any physicians flying into communities to access car rentals by simplifying the eligibility and administration.
The committee approved recommendations to improve Rural Continuing Medical Education (RCME) programs, including transitioning the RCME Liaisons to a single reporting relationship with the RCCbc.
A five-year Real-Time Virtual Supports (RTVS) report was shared, summarizing how the program has yielded transformative benefits to the health care system, improving efficiency, access to care, and keeping rural Emergency Departments open.
A potential service reduction for the RTVS Maternity and Babies Advice Line (MaBAL) and Child Health Advice in Real-Time Electronically (CHARLiE) pathways was identified. Partners are working collaboratively to support rural communities during the service change and are actively working to ensure 24/7 service can be reinstated. Other RTVS pathways remain fully stable.
June 2025
The JSC met on June 16, 2025.
Dr David Whittaker is the incoming JSC Vice Chair, replacing Dr Jane Bishop, whose JSC term completed in June 2025.
The JSC supported a proposal for Improving Access to Specialist Care for Rural Communities, a joint project between the SSC and JSC. The JSC and SSC co-chairs will meet to facilitate next steps.
JSC approved one-time funding to stabilize and strengthen medical affairs Health Human Resource (HHR) services for First Nations-led primary health care services in rural and remote areas through the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) Medical Affairs and Wellness Office.
The JSC advanced policy work to support a new Rural FP Maternity Locum Program.
Policy changes were approved for the Ministry of Health Rural Programs and Incentives, including minor changes and clarifications on the return of service requirements for the Rural Retention Program (RRP) Flat Fee and Rural Continuing Medical Education (RCME) Individual Funds eligibility.
JSC Milestones for June:
The BC Rural Health Conference, hosted by the Rural Coordination Centre of BC, took place in the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre on June 6-8, 2025.
Feedback was provided to support the update and review of policies for the JSC Rural Programs administered by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Approval was granted to fund the assessment phase of Rural Business Processes Modernization, which aims to enhance and streamline administration of the JSC’s Rural Programs and Incentives at the MOH.
Discussions were held about the supporting structure, challenges, and opportunities to better support the JSC-funded Rural Programs Liaison (RPL) and Rural Continuing Medical Education (RCME) liaison position in each health authority.
The Emergency Education Program (EEP) Spring 2026 Cohort is open for applications until June 15, 2025. Family physicians practicing in or wishing to serve rural communities in BC can apply for a three-month, full-time, remunerated fellowship in Emergency Medicine. EEP offers 12 weeks of structured education to boost physician expertise and confidence in emergency care.
The JSC did not meet in April. No update will be posted to the JCC website.
March 10 & 11, 2025
The JSC met on March 10 and 11, 2025.
A gender equity gap in the Rural Retention Program (RRP) Flat Fee and Rural Continuing Medical Education (RCME) Policy has been addressed, effective April 1, 2025. Changes will allow physicians who go on parental leave before reaching the nine-month eligibility requirement to access these benefits.
The JSC approved an AI Scribe pilot to support rural physicians in trialling an AI Scribe tool. Feedback will be collected to assess the impact of AI scribes on reducing administrative burden.
The JSC approved a Rural Retrieval and Transfer Medicine Capacity Building Program proposal, which will provide bridge funding for educational and training support for rural providers who accompany patients on transport. This support is expected to reduce burnout and improve the retention of rural providers.
The 2023-24 annual report from the Selkirk College Rural Pre-Medicine (RPM) Program, which the JSC seed-funded, identified several success stories of its students matriculating to rural physician practice. The RPM Program is designed to prepare students for health professional programs, particularly medicine, with a focus on rural healthcare insights and rural and Indigenous Health.
JSC Milestones for March:
The 2023-24 annual report from the Selkirk College Rural Pre-Medicine (RPM) Program, which the JSC seed-funded, identified several success stories of its students matriculating to rural physician practice. The RPM Program is designed to prepare students for health professional programs, particularly medicine, with a focus on rural healthcare insights and rural and Indigenous Health.
January 25, 2025
The JSC met on January 27 and 28, 2025.
The committee approved the 2025-26 budgets for the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc), Locums for Rural BC (LRBC), and the Practice Readiness Assessment-BC (PRA-BC).
The Northern and Isolation Travel Assistance Outreach Program (NITAOP) Working Group approved all applications and exceptions for 2025-26.
Launch of the new RTVS pathway: Rural Outreach in Critical Care and Internal Medicine (ROCCi), which will provide real-time assistance to rural healthcare providers and enhance care across BC.
The Indigenous Medical Education Gathering (IMEG) 2024 brought together Indigenous students, residents, physicians, Interprofessional Team Members, and non-Indigenous allies to build community and advance Indigenous health and wellness with land-based healing.
