From Pilot to Proof: Nurse Practitioners changed Our Healthcare story
Christie Brulhart
When others hesitated, Consort believed — in Nurse Practitioners, in innovation, and in
the idea that rural healthcare could look different. After years of uncertainty in local primary care, Consort became one of the first communities in Alberta to pilot a Nurse Practitioner–led primary care model, proving that innovation and collaboration can deliver stability close to home.
When Christie Brulhart, NP began her practice at the Consort Medical Clinic in May2024, it was through a community-supported pilot made possible by the Special Areas Board. At the time, there was no provincial funding program for NPs in independent primary care practice, but the community stepped forward and built one anyway. That early leadership paid off. By October 2024, Christie transitioned into the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program through Alberta Health, marking the community’s success in helping shape a sustainable, government-funded model of local care. The program now directly funds Nurse Practitioners to provide community-based, continuous primary care, allowing rural regions like ours to offer consistent, locally led access. Through this initiative, Christie has helped build a model that is patient-centred, preventive, and rooted in community needs; it is the kind of healthcare innovation rural Alberta needs more of.
Tammy Damberger
Over the past year, the Consort Medical Clinic has continued to grow — both in team and in services — reflecting the success of this model of care. In early 2025, Monica Cholin joined as a Nurse Practitioner serving adults 18 and over, and locum NPs from Edmonton began offering bi-weekly walk-in clinics through cold and flu season to help meet local demand.
In July, we officially welcomed Tammy Damberger, NP to the team. Her focus on seniorand complex care has brought stability, follow-up, and compassion to some of our most vulnerable residents. Her work ensures that aging in place isn’t just possible — it’s supported. Monica’s practice has since evolved into a women’s health clinic, which continues to grow and fill long-standing gaps in access for rural women. Her dedication to preventive screening, reproductive health, and education is empowering patients and setting a new standard for community-based care.
We remain deeply grateful for our locum Nurse Practitioners, Francene and Jessica, who travel from Edmonton each month to offer walk-in clinics. Their ongoing commitment helps the team meet local demand and ensures timely access, especially during peak periods or practitioner absences. None of this progress would be possible without the continued support of the Special Areas Board, whose vision and commitment to local healthcare have been instrumental in building and sustaining this model. Their investment in community-based care ensures that rural residents can access the right provider, at the right time, close to home.
Jessica Parker
November 10-16, 2025, marks National Nurse Practitioner Week, and we’re proud to recognize the people behind Consort’s healthcare success story — the Nurse Practitioners who have brought consistency, compassion, and care back to our community.
Francene Fahey
To all of our Nurse Practitioners: thank you for your leadership, compassion, and care. You’ve changed what healthcare means in Consort, and we couldn’t be prouder.
Monica Cholin
A note from the Board:
As we celebrate NP Week, we also continue to advocate for change — for a more flexible and sustainable funding framework within the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program that reflects the unique realities of rural practice. Rural communities need the ability to design and deliver care in ways that fit their geography, workforce, and population.
Behind the scenes, we continue to work toward stabilizing and securing the future of healthcare services in Consort. Recruitment is ongoing for additional providers to join our clinic and our community, including registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians. In the months ahead, Christie will be mentoring several NP students completing their final practicums — all of whom have expressed interest in rural practice. We’ve also begun discussions with a recruitment agency in South Africa to explore opportunities for physicians who may be interested in making our community their home.
Together, these efforts reflect a simple truth: while our challenges are real, so is our commitment to building a stable, sustainable healthcare system for our community.
