While much of 2020 was driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued our work with a focus on collaboration with our partners, care for our people and staff, and community-inspired solutions.
Our Vision
Alaska Native people are the healthiest people in the world.
Our Mission
Providing the highest quality health services in partnership with our people and the Alaska Tribal Health System.
Feature stories from 2020
Highlights from our areas of work
Letter from the Chairman & President
Andy Teuber, Kodiak Area Native Association Regional Representative
Message from the Chairman and President
Greetings,
Over the last year, ANTHC had to quickly adapt to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. To effectively combat the pandemic, the Consortium focused on collaboration, care and community. One of our greatest strengthsas a Tribal health system has been our collective focus on collaboration, and this has never been more important than now. This focus has improved the availability ofcare closer to homefor our people and increased support to our communities.
The Consortium was founded as an exercise in self-determination for a statewide collaboration of Tribes to provide better health care than was provided directly by the federal government through the Indian Health Service. Through decades of collaboration and hard work, we have greatly improved and expanded health services, blending expanded specialty care in Anchorage along with growth of the regional hospitals, sub-regional clinics and additional services at local clinics.
This year the Consortium also collaborated extensively with the State of Alaska, other health systems and testing providers. The result of our approach was that the Alaska Tribal Health System was able to build and operate a robust and extensive network of testing sites supported by lab facilities for processing COVID-19 tests to protect our people and our communities.
The 2020 Annual Report outlines many of the accomplishments of our programs and initiatives we were able to achieve in this uniquely challenging year. In spite of the pandemic, we made significant improvements in the care we provide and the health services available in our Tribal communities.Further, our efforts expanded access to services, improved rural water and sanitation in rural communities, and continued prevention efforts and training for health aides across our state.
Our continued progress can be credited to the leadership of our Board of Directors and the efforts of ourmore than 3,000 dedicated ANTHC employees.
Respectfully,
Andy Teuber
ANTHC Chairman & President
Our Work
ANTHC health care programs and services
COVID-19 Response
When COVID-19 challenges met the power of the Consortium care teams
Staff at ANTHC are used to confronting challenges that push us to be innovative, decisive and collaborative. In 2020, we worked with our partners in the Alaska Tribal Health System to protect our people.
ANTHC’s COVID-19 response included changes to how we work, how we could help our communities and how our communities could help us.
Changes in how we work
Care at the Alaska Native Medical Center looked different, but we quickly made changes before the first case of COVID-19 to limit potential transmission of the virus.
» Continue ReadingHow we helped our communities
With the help of many partners, ANTHC delivered community solutions: COVID-19 testing, PPE, emergency preparedness.
» Continue ReadingHow our communities helped us
ANTHC is grateful for many people in many ways we didn’t anticipate: donations, personal actions to Flatten the Curve, the flexibility and dedication of our staff.
» Continue ReadingLeading COVID-19 testing capabilities
Early on, ANTHC established our own COVID-19 testing capabilities. From March to September, more than 100,000 tests were processed, nearly a quarter of all Alaska tests.
67+
ANTHC staff working in COVID-19 response roles
All ANTHC staff contributed, but these staff were a formal part of Incident Command, a special workgroup designed to respond quickly and efficiently.
$8.8M
Contributed for COVID-19 response
These gifts supported health care workers, Eldersand patients across the Alaska Tribal Health System.
77,570
PPE and mask donations
ANTHC distributed these needed supplies at ANMC and other Tribal health locations.
Care: Alaska Native Medical Center
Care centered on our people
2020 reemphasized that health is central to our quality of life. Health care workers continued their dedication to caring for our people, even in the middle of a pandemic.
Top ANMC highlights
The Alaska Native Medical Center operates a state-of-the-art, 173-bed hospital that provides specialty medical services to Alaska Native and American Indian people, co-managed with Southcentral Foundation.
Meritorious distinction for surgical outcomes
Outstanding quality scores in eight surgical care outcome areas were recognized by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. ANMC was the only hospital recognized in Alaska.
» Continue ReadingWeaver/Penna pharmacy award
ANMC was unanimously selected as the 2020 winner of the Warren Weaver/Richard Penna Award by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties for ourwork to advance healthcare by promoting specialized training, knowledge and skills in pharmacy.
» Continue ReadingPatient experience
60% of patients travel to ANMC for care. Our Patient Experience initiatives extend care from the patient's door to ours.
» Continue Reading
Community: Statewide health and prevention services
Prevention strengthens our health
Health doesn’t just happen at a hospital. The health of our people is rooted in the strengths of our traditional values and culture, our families and communities.
Top Statewide health and prevention services highlights
Like the rings of a fishing net, our strength is tied to one another across the state. And like a fishing net, if one ring develops a hole, the strength of the entire net is compromised. We work together with partners to create a better net of health.
Top Statewide health and prevention services highlights
Outstanding quality scores in eight surgical care outcome areaswere recognized by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. ANMC was the only hospital recognized in Alaska.
» Continue ReadingHealthy Alaskans 2030
ANMC was unanimously selected as the 2020 winnerof the Warren Weaver/Richard Penna Awardby the Board of Pharmacy Specialties for ourwork to advance healthcare by promoting specialized training, knowledge and skills in pharmacy.
» Continue ReadingDental Health Aide Therapist health education program earns American Dental Association accreditation
60% of patients travel to ANMC for care. Our Patient Experience initiatives extend care from the patient’s doorto ours.
» Continue Reading
Healthy Homes and Communities
As of Sept. 1, ANTHC’s Environmental Health and Engineering provided water and sewer service to 67 homes. These include community projects in Akiachak, Lower Kalskag, Elim and individual homes along the road system. In Kivalina, ANTHC installed the Portable Alternative Sanitation System (PASS) units for 25 more homes.
67
Homes with first time water service
Access to water makes hand washing and healthy hygiene practices easier
23,000
Construction labor hours in 11 communities by local employees
ANTHC-led construction projects not only provide public utility improvements, they also provide jobs and local economic benefit
5
New health indicators in HA2020 plan
Together with the State of Alaska, ANTHC helped design data-driven goals to improve the health of all Alaskans.
Board of Directors
Regional representatives for fiscal year 2020
Andy Teuber
Chairman
Kodiak Area Native Association
Andrew Jimmie
Vice Chair
Tanana Chiefs Conference
Charlene Nollner
ANTHC Secretary
Copper River Native Association
Evelyn Beeter
ANTHC Treasurer
Unaffiliated Tribes
Vacant
Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association
Bernice Kaigelak
Arctic Slope Native Association
Robert Clark
Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation
Robert Henrichs
Chugachmiut, Native Village of Eyak
Lorena Walker
Maniilaq Association
Charles Clement
Metlakatla Indian Community
Preston Rookok
Norton Sound Health Corporation
April Kyle
Southcentral Foundation
Kimberley Strong
SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium
Chief Gary Harrison
Unaffiliated Tribes, Chickaloon Native Village
Walter Jim
Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation
In memory: Louie Commack, Maniilaq Association: Tribal health leader, advocate and voice for our people
Mr. Louie Commack was a longtime Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) board member, representing Maniilaq Association and its twelve federally recognized Tribes located in Northwest Alaska, where he served as a longtime board member. Mr. Commack was a friend and vigorous advocated for the people in his community and across the State.
ANTHC sends our condolences to the Commack family and the Northwest Arctic region on the loss of a great leader.
