The Department of Health Care Services in Alaska offers efficient health care services to the people of Alaska to enhance the health and living standards of the community. It also provides good instructions in the understanding of the various Medicaid policies and to avail the optimum health care benefits from the policies. The Department of Health and Social Services is actively implementing many health regulating services and policies to ensure optimum health benefits to the people. The various agencies and divisions which work under the department are: Health Care Services, Juvenile Justice, Public Health and Services, Seniors and Disabilities Services, Office of Children’s Services and Behavioral Health.
One notable initiative of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services is
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, accepted on March 2010
[1]. The Act has uplifted the entire state health care system and many has been benefited from the same. The Alaska Health Care Commission tracks and oversees the smooth implementation of this Act.
Image by Piergiuliano Chesi [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Hospitals in Alaska
Alaska has many renowned hospitals that efficiently serve the entire community and are also one of the major employers of the state. Hospitals in Alaska are well equipped, furnished and staffed and the staffs render their selfless services to the people. Major Hospitals that serve the state include-
-
354th Medical Group - Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
- 673d Medical Group - Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
- Alaska Department of Health and Social Services- Division of Behavioral Health
- Alaska Psychiatric Institute - Anchorage, Alaska
- Alaska Native Medical Center - Anchorage, Alaska
- Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium - Anchorage, Alaska
- Alaska Native Medical Center - Anchorage, Alaska
- Alaska Regional Hospital - Anchorage, Alaska
- Alaska VA Healthcare System - Anchorage, Alaska
- Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center - Anchorage, Alaska
- Denali Center - Fairbanks, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska
- Fairbanks Memorial Hospital - Fairbanks, Fairbanks North Star Borough.
- Bartlett Regional Hospital - Juneau, Alaska
- Bassett Army Community Hospital - Fort Wainwright, Alaska
- Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation - Dillingham, Alaska
- Kanakanak Hospital - Dillingham, Alaska
- Children's Hospital at Providence- Anchorage, Alaska
- Mount Edgecumbe Hospital - Sitka, Alaska
- Maniilaq Health Center - Kotzebue, Alaska
- North Star Behavioral Health - Anchorage, Alaska
- Peace Health Ketchikan Medical Center - Ketchikan, Alaska
- Petersburg Medical Center - Petersburg, Alaska
- Providence Alaska Medical Center - Anchorage, Alaska
- Providence Cancer Center - Anchorage, Alaska
- Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center - Kodiak Island, Alaska
- Providence Seward Medical & Care Center - Seward, Alaska
- Providence Seward Medical & Care Center - Seward, Alaska
- Saint Elias Specialty Hospital - Anchorage, Alaska
- South Peninsula Hospital - Homer, Alaska
- Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC)-Sitka and Wrangell, Alaska
- North Star Behavioral Health - Anchorage, Alaska
- Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation - Bethel, Alaska.
Providence Alaska Medical Center
Contact Details:
Providence Alaska Medical Center
3200 Providence Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508-4615
Phone: (907) 212-3600
Website:
http://alaska.providence.org
Providence Alaska Medical Center is the largest general and surgical hospital of the state located in Anchorage. The hospital is a non profit health care provider, built under the leadership of Mother Joseph, the Sisters of Providence. The first Providence hospital was built in Nome over 100 years ago
[2]. The size apart, the hospital is a high performance hospital offering all-round full range services to the state and also to the entire states of the United States. The hospital’s high end equipments coupled with the efficient staffs and the quality services make Providence Alaska Medical Center a unique hospital and is ranked high in patient safety and minimal medical mistakes. The services provided by Providence Alaska Medical Center include, Behavioral Health, Cancer Services, Children's Services, Heart & Vascular Services, Imaging Services, In-Home Services, Laboratory Services, Orthopedic Services, Pharmacy Services, Women's Services
Alaska Regional Hospital
Contact Details:2801 DeBarr Road
Anchorage, AK 99508
24 Hour Emergency Room: (907) 264-1222
Information Desk: (907) 264-1175
Website:
http://alaskaregional.com/home
Alaska Regional Hospital is one of the prestigious hospitals in Anchorage, Alaska that delivers superior care and healing to one and all. The services provided by the hospital include, Cancer Care Services, Cardiovascular Services, Emergency Care, Imaging & Radiology, Laboratory Services, Life Flight Air Ambulance, Neuroscience Center, Orthopedic and Spine Center, Women’s services, and Family Birth Center.
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
Contact Details:1650 Cowles St.
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Information: (907) 452-8181
Emergency Department: (907) 458-5555
Website:
https://www.bannerhealth.com
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital is supervised and operated by the non-profit health care system, Banner Health. The hospital is managed and maintained by the Greater Fairbanks Community. Some of the distinct programs and services offered by the hospital include, the Fairbanks Imaging Center, awarded with a Vista Award for New Construction, Cancer Care, Diabetes, Emergency Care, Heart Care, Home Health, Long-term Care, Maternity Services, Medical Imaging, Orthopedics, Pain Management, Pediatrics, Rehabilitation, Sleep Disorders, Surgery, Women's Services, and Wound Care. The hospital has been recognized with many awards, namely, Mountain-Pacific Quality Health Care Achievement Award, The American Hospital Association Carolyn Boone Lewis Living the Vision Award, Modern Healthcare Trustee of the Year Award.
North Star Behavioral Center
Contact Details:
Debarr Campus
2530 DeBarr Road
Anchorage, AK 99508
Bragaw Campus
1650 Bragaw Street
Anchorage, AK 99508
Debarr Residential Treatment Center
1500 DeBarr Circle
Anchorage, AK 99508
Phone: (907) 865-7100 or (907) 258-7575 or (800) 478-7575-Toll Free In Alaska
Palmer Residential Treatment Center
Mile 2.5, 3647 N. Clark Wolverine Road
Palmer, AK 99645
Phone: (907) 761-7400 or (907) 761-7463
North Star Behavioral Center in Alaska is the principal behavioral health care provider of the state. The Center works to render services to those children facing psychiatric crisis. At North Star, there are many programs and services that help nurture the young people and recognize their problems and difficulties. The center brings all families and communities together to promptly act to the needs of the children and teenagers so that they enjoy a peaceful and youthful growth. The various programs offered by the center include, Milieu therapy, Medication management, Individual & Family therapy, Behavioral management plans, Activity/recreation therapy, Anger management & De-escalation therapy, and Crisis intervention. The North Star has its various treatment centers and campuses at Debarr, Bragaw and Palmer.
For any information on
North Star Behavioral Health Center please call the intake department at (907)258-7575 or (800) 478-7575-Toll Free in Alaska or
Click here.
Blood Banks and Organ Donators in Alaska
Several organizations in Alaska are dedicated to provide organ, blood and tissue donations to those in need. The organizations are committed and striving to meet the transplant needs of the people of Alaska. Some of the principle donators of the state are-
Life Alaska Donor Services
Contact Details:235 E 8th Ave, Ste 100,
Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: 907.562.LIFE (5433) or 800.719.LIFE (5433)
Fax: 907.562.5333
Website:
http://lifealaska.org/about.htm
Life Alaska Donor Services is Alaska’s top tissue and organ donor organization which works in collaboration with Life Center northwest in Washington. Life Alaska includes many programs and services to educate the people on organ and tissue transplantation and also features a Family Services program that recognizes and honors the donor family and the testimonies of the recipients. Life Alaska has been successful in supplying tissues and organs to many Alaskan patients in need.
The Blood Bank of Alaska
The Blood Bank of Alaska is a notable organization in Alaska dedicated and committed in supplying superior blood products and other services to many patients in need. It offers Whole Blood Donation and Automated Blood Donation. It seeks and honors all donors who are willing to donate blood and also provide proper guidelines on diet and health regimes to the donor.
Contact Details:
Anchorage Main Center
4000 Laurel Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Phone: (907) 222-5600
Fairbanks Center
3010 Airport Way
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
Phone: (907) 456-5645.
South Anchorage Center
800 E Dimond Blvd.
Anchorage, AK 99515
phone: (907) 222-5630
For more information on
Blood Bank of Alaska Click here .
Medicaid in Alaska
Medicaid is a program initiated by the federal government to finance for health care services to the low income Alaskans. The program is managed by the state Division of Health Care Services (DHCS). The Division of Public Assistance takes into account the eligibility criteria to avail the policy and also decides which services are to be covered for the particular group. The program finances low income children, pregnant women, seniors, blind and the permanently disabled.
The Children’s Health Insurance Program
The Children’s Health Insurance Program is a state administered program but it is jointly funded by the federal as well as the state government. The program was launched in 1997
[3], to finance the children in high income families who are not eligible for Medicaid, but who cannot pay for private policy. A new act called Affordable Care Act was implemented to help people choose an affordable insurance plan or a Basic Health Program (BHP) for low income people.
Long Term Services and Supports
Long Term Services and Supports provides immense support to the senior citizens, psychiatric patients, and people with disabilities. The service includes
Institutional Care and
Community Based Long Term Services.
Institutional Care covers Hospital services, Nursing Services, Pre-admission Screening & Resident Review (PASRR), Intermediate Care Facilities for People with Mental Retardation (ICF/MR), Inpatient Psychiatric Services for Individuals Under Age 21 and Services for Seniors of age 65 or above for Mental diseases. Licensed and certified institutions offer residential facilities and the in patients are provided quality health care services.
Community Based Long Term Services is a person driven system to support disabled people or people with chronic conditions to live a better independent and healthier life. Under this service, they have the liability to choose with whom and where to live, leverage over the services they receive, and also have the freedom to work and earn money.
For any information on
Medicaid Click here.
Contact At:Medicaid: 888-804-6330
Medicare: 800-633-4227
Nursing Homes in Alaska
The Nursing Homes in Alaska provide quality health care services and support to the elderly and chronically ill people. Many measures are implemented to help improve the living standards in the nursing homes. The top nursing homes in Alaska are listed below.
Quyanna Care Center
P.O. BOX 966
NOME, AK 99762
Phone: (907) 458-5100
Number of Beds: 15
Denali Center
1510 19TH AVENUE
FAIRBANKS, AK 99701
Phone: (907) 458-5100
Number of Beds: 90
Prestige Care & Rehab Center
9100 Centennial Cir
Anchorage, AK 99504
Phone: (907) 333-8100
Number of Beds: 90
Petersburg Medical Center
P.O. BOX 589
PETERSBURG, AK 99833
(907) 772-4291
Number of Beds: 15
Providence Kodiak Island
1915 E. REZANOF DRIVE
KODIAK, AK 99615
Phone: (907) 486-9532
Number of Beds: 19
Heritage Place Nursing Home
232 ROCKWELL AVENUE
SOLDOTNA, AK; 99669
(907) 262-2545
Number of Beds: 60
Health Statistics and Vital Records of Alaska
The Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics maintains the vital records which are strictly confidential until they are declared as public records. The records include birth certificate (adoption records), death certificate, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, foetal death records, infant mortality rate and other health related statistics.
Infant Deaths and Infant Mortality Rates for Alaska in 2009[4]
- Neonatal deaths: 31
- Post-neonatal deaths: 45
- Total Infant Deaths: 76
Top Ten Leading Causes of Death for Alaska in 2009 [5]
- Malignant Neoplasms : 891
- Diseases of the Heart: 710
- Unintentional Injuries: 339
- Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases: 195
- Cerebrovascular Diseases: 162
- Intentional Self-Harm (Suicide): 140
- Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis: 94
- Diabetes: 84
- Alzheimer's Disease: 67
- Influenza and Pneumonia: 51
Information Help Lines of Alaska Department of Health Care Services[6]
- Child Care: 888-268-4632
- Adult Public Assistance: 888-804-6330
- Senior Benefits: 888-352-4150
- Adult Dental Care Program: 800-780-9972
- Alaska Psychiatric Institute: 800-770-3930
- Immunization Information : 888-430-4321
- Foetal Alcohol Syndrome: 877-393-2287
- Tobacco Prevention and Control: 269-2020
- Foster Care: 800-478-7307
References:
- The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
- Providence Hospital
- Children's Health Insurance Program
- Infant Mortality Rate
- Leading Diseases of Alaska
- Information Helplines
