Created by and for rural clinicians, the Isolated Medical Provider Aftercare Team (IMPACT) offers confidential peer-to-peer support to rural physicians and to nurses in remote nursing stations in British Columbia who have experienced a potentially challenging incident in the course of their work.
If you look across industry—military, police, firefighters, ambulance personnel—they all have programs in place to recognize when a traumatic event has occurred and proactively reach out in support. We don’t do that anywhere on the planet with our rural colleagues—we just assume that since we’re the team lead, we must be immune to that stuff. But we know that’s not true.
Dr. Ed Marquis, medical co-lead, IMPACT
Rural clinicians supporting rural clinicians
Why call IMPACT?
Peer support is about being there for each other. Challenging incidents are unavoidable in rural practice, but when there is a culture of support and providers can talk about these experiences with a peer, it can make a difference—from just having the opportunity to process a difficult experience through to providing well-being and growing resilience to continue in rural practice.
What is a potentially challenging situation?
Potentially challenging incidents may include those that involve a child, multiple casualties, or a friend or family member of the provider—as well as difficult circumstances around a poor patient outcome or transfer.
Who are IMPACT peer supporters?
IMPACT peer supporters are medical professionals who work, or have worked, in a rural setting. They understand the challenges and rewards of providing rural healthcare.
What type of support can IMPACT provide?
When an IMPACT Peer Supporter contacts a peer, they can listen, offer empathetic support and provide connections to other resources for rural medical providers.
Confidentiality
All discussions with the IMPACT peer supporter are completely confidential. IMPACT does not maintain documentation of the conversations between peer supporters and medical providers.
If you’re able, reach out and connect with IMPACT because it really helps. We’re here for you. We have a team of rural medical providers who really care and understand and want you to grow through those experiences.
Dr. Blair Stanley, medical co-lead, IMPACT
Connect with an IMPACT peer supporter
- Rural physicians or remote nursing station nurses in British Columbia may contact IMPACT directly to request a peer support check-in.
- A colleague, manager, patient transfer coordinator or anyone else may also contact IMPACT to ask for a peer supporter to connect with a rural physician or nursing station nurse if they recognize a situation where a peer support check-in may be helpful.
To ask for an IMPACT peer supporter to reach out, call 1 (236) 361-9090 and leave a confidential voicemail message. An IMPACT peer supporter will connect with you or the affected medical provider within 72 hours.
Team Involved
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