Facilitators and barriers for the recruitment and retention of family physician anaesthesiologists in Canada: a scoping review protocol

Abstract

Introduction: Family physician anaesthesiologists (FPAs) are essential to providing surgical, critical and obstetrical care in rural communities of Canada. They experience pressing challenges like burnout, isolation and limited opportunities for professional growth. There is a lack of studies synthesising the available evidence on the factors associated with recruitment and retention of FPAs in Canada. We aim to systematically review and describe the nature of the scientific evidence on the facilitators and barriers to the recruitment and retention of FPAs in Canada, and to identify areas to inform potential solutions.

Methods and analysis: Our scoping review will search Pubmed, Embase (Ovid), Scopus and grey literature for empirical or theoretical publications in English or French on facilitators and barriers to the recruitment and retention of FPAs in Canada. We will conduct a narrative synthesis of the included publications.

Ethics and dissemination: Our results will guide future research and initiatives to enhance the availability of FPAs in Canadian rural and remote settings. The results will be shared through professional networks, presentations at conferences, and publication in a scientific journal. Ethics approval is not required.

Keywords: ANAESTHETICS; Adult anaesthesia; GENERAL MEDICINE (see Internal Medicine); Health Services Accessibility; Primary Health Care.