Located on a Reserve adjacent to the community of Stony Rapids, the facility is a flexible and energy-efficient environment providing a suitable setting for both modern and traditional health care practices. The forested site sits on the edge of a shallow valley looking north to the granite hills of the Canadian Shield and the open rapids of the Fond du Lac River only 100 meters away. The building is located in the Chicken Indian Reserve, one kilometre from an all-weather airport that provides air access to the hospital.

The Athabasca Health Facility (also known as the Yutthe Dene Nakohodi Health Facility) is a full service acute-care and long-term care hospital and community health facility serving the needs of native and non-native residents of northern Saskatchewan. Located on Reserve land, adjacent to the community of Stony Rapids, the facility is a flexible and energy‑efficient environment providing a suitable setting for both modern and traditional native health care practices.

The Health Facility has been designed to support sophisticated medical technology including computer radiology and telemedicine. The building systems and components have been selected with respect to the local climate, freight requirements, emergency power, and local labour force skills and opportunities. The building program contains spaces for emergency and ambulatory services, community/Edmonton services, laboratories, radiology, inpatient care including birthing, administrative services, food services, housekeeping and laundry facilities, staff facilities, storage, receiving and building operations.

This facility has been successfully occupied for over 9 years, and is a model of integrated rural and remote health and social service delivery. The Athabasca Health Facility was featured in “41-66” -  an exhibition of Canadian Sustainable Architecture that represented Canada at the 2008 Venice Architecture Bienalle. As well as being included in Agora Borealis, as an effective example of community engagement in the planning and design of rural and remote community health facilities.