The purpose of this study was to determine whether rural providers have adequate preparation for safe and effective haemophilia care.
This qualitative study proceeded in two phases: focus group (phase I) and telephone (phase II) interviews.
Five Canadian rural hospitals served by one urban haemophilia treatment centre and providing service to at least one haemophilia family.
Phase I: focus groups of rural health professionals (site 1: n = 5; site 2: n = 6), including nursing, medicine and lab technology. Phase II: telephone interviews with nine participants from nursing, medicine, lab technology, social work and physiotherapy across three sites.
Qualitative content analysis yielded categorical themes for specialty care resource requirements in a rural context.
Resource needs reflected five main categories: communication network, subjective knowledge, team roles, objective knowledge and partnerships (C-STOP).
The five C-STOP categories require resources and alignment of urban specialist, rural provider and family expertise. Specialty clinic efforts promoting self-care are incomplete without matched resources for rural providers.