Milk River physician goes above and beyond to serve community - 31st August 2015

A rural Alberta physician who has served Milk River and area residents for over three decades is the recipient of the 2015 Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan (RPAP) Rural Alberta Physician Award of Distinction.

Dr. Elisabeth Lewke-Bogle of Milk River was selected by the RPAP Board of Directors to be the award’s 13^th recipient. The RPAP board received six applications for the 2015 award, and selected Dr. Lewke-Bogle based upon the outstanding dedication and commitment she has shown to her community over the past 30 years.  

Dr. Lewke-Bogle was nominated for the honour by the Quad Municipalities Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee, representing an area of over 3000 sq. km in southern Alberta that includes the communities of Coutts, Warner, Milk River and the Counties of Forty Mile and Warner.

According to the committee, Dr. Lewke-Bogle has worked tirelessly for the residents of this area of southern Alberta: “In doing so she has also worked to save health care in our communities and preserve our communities. Thanks to her efforts we have Family Physicians and an Emergency Department and our communities remain intact.”

Dr. Bert Reitsma, RPAP Board Chair, says they are pleased that the Milk River and Area Physician Attraction and Retention Committee submitted Dr. Lewke-Bogle’s name to be considered for the 2015 Award: 

“The RPAP board agrees that Dr. Lewke-Bogle has gone above and beyond, putting patients first—having come out of retirement on two occasions in order to ensure healthcare services were maintained in Milk River during periods of physician scarcity”.

Planning is now underway for an event to recognize Dr. Lewke-Bogle in the community, details to follow.

The RPAP Rural Physician Award of Distinction was created in 2002 to recognize the contributions of all rural physicians, especially those ‘unsung heroes’ who provide Alberta rural communities with outstanding medical services and who make huge contributions to medical practice and their communities.

RPAP | Health Workforce for Alberta is an independent, not-for-profit company funded by the Alberta Ministry of Health. Established in 1991 by the Government of Alberta, RPAP supports the ongoing efforts of Alberta’s rural physicians, their families and communities to improve the quality of rural health care.

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