Feasibility issues impacting optimal levels of maternity care in rural communities: implementing the Rural Birth Index in British Columbia.

Introduction: The continued attrition of maternity services across rural communities in high resource countries demands a rigorous, systematic approach to determining population level need, including a clear understanding of feasibility issues that may constrain achieving and sustaining recommended levels of services. The Rural Birth Index (RBI) proposes a robust and objective methodology to determine such need along with attention to the feasibility of implementation.

Background: Predictions of appropriate levels of maternity care in rural communities require consideration of the feasibility of implementation.