Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine
Authors: Alexandra Bland, Anna de Waal, Stefan Grzybowski
Spring 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic presented an unprecedented challenge for rural family physicians. The lessons learned over the course the pandemic have the potential to guide responses and engagement in future healthcare challenges associated with ecosystem disruptions and climate change. This qualitative exploratory study examined the leadership experiences of rural Canadian family physicians across Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic, both as local care providers and community health leaders, in order to identify potential supports and barriers to physician leadership. The analysis identified four key supportive factors: continuity of care to strengthen physician-patient relationships, implementing and supporting effective team-based care, prioritizing physician well-being, and system-level capacity to support innovative care models. With increased vulnerability to climate change, healthcare policy and practice transformation in rural communities should prioritize developing opportunities to strengthen physician leadership.