2024 Rhapsody Award Nominees

Rhapsody Physician Award Nominees

Dr. Debbie Dehlen, Lac La Biche

Dr. Dehlen is known as the “baby doctor” in her community. She provides care in her local hospital that includes ER coverage, acute care, long term care, caesarian sections and newborn support after birth. She also goes above and beyond as a family physician caring for patients in the medical clinic. Read her full story.

Dr. Jaco Hoffman, Olds

Dr. Hoffman is currently the AHS Central Zone Medical Director. He also works in ER, delivers babies, and is a specialist for advanced airway management, and the management of critically ill patients. Dr. Hoffman was instrumental in the opening of the local Primary Care Network clinic. Read his full story.

Click here to see who is the recipient of the 2024 Rhapsody Physician Award

Rhapsody Healthcare Heroes Award Nominees

Audrey McKenzie, Sundre

Caring for patients at bedside, managing a hospital, teaching and volunteering – registered nurse Audrey McKenzie has touched many in her 45 years in healthcare. She was instrumental in setting up an eSIM lab in Sundre, one of only two such facilities in rural Alberta. Read her full story.

Barrhead Community Cancer Team

This team offers local treatments including chemotherapy and immunotherapy for patients through the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton. For the past 28 years, they’ve saved local cancer patients the commute to Edmonton for regular treatments. Read its full story.

BORN, Northern Alberta

Beginnings of Obstetrics for Rural Nurses (BORN), is an online program with self directed learning modules, to orientate new-to-obstetrics AHS North Zone nurses. BORN was created by obstetrical clinical nurse educators. BORN helps new nurses be prepared before they are thrown into the actual setting. Read its full story.

Crowsnest Medical Clinic

The team of 28 health professionals at the Crowsnest Medical Clinic are described as resilient, creative and collaborative. Together, they provide the best care possible for area patients. Even those without a doctor are welcome. Members of the team actively volunteer in their community. Read its full story.

Leslie Jones, Peace River

Leslie Jones’s patients love her, and rightly so. As a registered nurse at the Peace River Medical Clinic, she makes sure they receive care in a timely and professional manner. Jones is also a nurse educator. She has run labour and delivery education sessions, even during COVID. Read her full story.

Linda Parrish, Bassano

Parrish trained as a physician assistant in the Canadian Armed Forces. Since 2013, she’s practised in ER at the Bassano Health Centre. For six months in 2022, there were no physicians in Bassano. Parrish worked remotely with physicians in Brooks to keep the ER open. Read her full story.

Lori Apostal, Fort McMurray

Lori Apostal has had her finger on the pulse of northern Alberta healthcare for years, earning high praise among her colleagues and community. She has expanded programming across both PCNs, enhancing services in women’s health, seniors’ care, diabetes, stroke rehabilitation and more. Read her full story.

Raubenheimer Medical Clinic, Smoky Lake

The team of three doctors and eight administrative assistants go the extra mile to treat patients. That includes house calls in small towns and outlying Indigenous communities in their region. They also make frequent visits to residents at senior’s healthcare facilities. Read its full story.

Spirit River Pharmacists

The trio of pharmacists in Spirit River do not work for the same employer but that doesn’t prevent them from working as a team. The patient always comes first. Staying late to fill last minute prescriptions, delivering medication to elderly patients, these are all in a day’s work for this team. Read their full story.

Rural Communities