Committed, impressive, innovative, and wonderful—these are some of the words used to describe the 2018 recipients of the Rural Health Professions Action Plan (RhPAP) Rhapsody Awards. Launched this year, the Rhapsody Awards celebrate individuals, teams, and organizations who have made significant civic and health-care contributions in rural and remote Alberta communities.
“Like a rhapsody, this year’s award recipients have left their communities feeling great, and we’re proud to sing their praises with this new and exciting initiative.” – Rob Warren
The 2018 RhPAP Rhapsody Award recipients are as follows:
-
Rhapsody Community Award
Pembina Physician Recruitment & Retention Committee, Drayton Valley and Brazeau County -
Rhapsody Physician Award
Dr. David S. Welch, Peace River -
2018 Health-care Heroes Awards
– Hythe Continuing Care Centre
– Operating Room Team, Peace River Community Health Centre
– Sundre Hospital & Care Team
Rhapsody Award recipients were recommended for selection to the RhPAP Board of Directors by a review committee, composed of rural Alberta community members and medical professionals. According to RhPAP Board Chair, Dr. Rob Warren, all recipients and nominees have all provided rural Alberta communities with outstanding patient care, making notable contributions to maintaining quality health care close to home. “Like a rhapsody, this year’s award recipients have left their communities feeling great, and we’re proud to sing their praises with this new and exciting initiative,” Warren added.
Recipients will be honoured at RhPAP-sponsored events in their communities, with each to be presented with a unique award, created by Firebrand Glass Studio in Black Diamond. Details on events, and profiles of 2018 recipients, will be posted on www.rhpap.ca as they become available.
For more information please contact:
Bernard C. Anderson
Executive Director, RhPAP
Tel: 780-720-7332
bernard.anderson@rhpap.ca
Jonathan Koch
Director, Communications, Marketing, and Research, RhPAP
Tel: 587-987-4325
jonathan.koch@rhpap.ca
Backgrounder
Since 2002, the RhPAP Awards Program has provided rural Alberta’s health-care heroes and rural communities with a healthy dose of recognition. This year, RhPAP re-launched the awards as the Rhapsody Awards: a play on our name, a recognition of our renewed and expanded mandate to assist all rural health professions, and a celebration of those individuals, teams, and communities that have made significant civic and health-care contributions in rural and remote Alberta communities.
2018 Rhapsody Awards recipients
Rhapsody Community Award
Recognizes a rural Alberta community that has developed innovative and collaborative approaches to successfully attract and retain health professionals in their area.
Pembina Physician Recruitment & Retention Committee (PPRRC), Drayton Valley and Brazeau County
Pembina was selected for its use of innovative practices to successfully attract new physicians and its ongoing efforts to retain the physician cohort within the Drayton Valley community. Possessing strong leadership from local health professionals and community members, the PPRRC is an integral part of the community.
Rhapsody Physician Award
Recognizes the contributions of a rural physician who provides his/her rural Alberta community with outstanding patient care and makes notable contributions to that community and medical practice.
Dr. David S. Welch, Peace River
Dr. Welch has gone above and beyond the call of duty, making significant contributions to medical practice, and ensuring ongoing local access to cardiac stress testing and diabetes treatment. Dr. Welch takes care of himself, his colleagues, and his patients, while also finding time to stay involved in the community. As an active member of his church, Dr. Welch has also provided medical missionary services to underprivileged populations around the world.
Rhapsody Health-care Heroes Award – 3 recipients
This award is new this year and recognizes rural Alberta health professionals or teams that demonstrate superior commitment to their patients, health-care team, and community.
Hythe Continuing Care Centre
The compassion and loving care exhibited by the health-care team at Hythe Continuing Care Centre has earned them the status as highest-rated long-term care facility in the Alberta Health Services North Zone, as determined by a 2017 Health Quality Council of Alberta survey of families experiencing long-term care across Alberta.
Operating Room Team, Peace River Community Health Centre
The Operating Room Staff at Peace River work well together, taking care of their patients, and each other. A wonderful, cohesive group with a proactive focus on teamwork, they are there for each other and their patients, resulting in outstanding care for the residents of Peace River and area, and a readmission after-surgery rate that is substantially lower than the national average.
Sundre Hospital & Care Team
In a facility that has faced much uncertainty, there is one constant at Sundre Hospital: a cohesive rural health team. In the face of adversity, the team has stepped up to find solutions, seek purpose in their roles, and provide leadership when called upon. The team has undertaken unusual, extensive, and strategic efforts to ensure the quality of patient care they provide remains appropriately high.