Medical Care in Alaska

Medical Care in Alaska Many people wonder what kind of access Alaskans have to medical care.

Much of the population in Alaska is spread out, sometimes miles away from a neighbor, much less a hospital or clinic. The rule of thumb in Alaska is, if there is a road leading to your home, you are not considered rural. So what do they do when they have a medical emergency? Well, it's not easy for sure.

In one large rural area of Alaska, the mostly Native American population opted to use federal government funds to build a medical facility, and supply it with an aircraft that could go to a rural home and transport patients. This was in the early 1990s, and they have yet to work out the logistics. The main problem is the weather. They cannot agree on how to operate any type of flight equipment for 9 months out of the year. They have discussed building the hospital anyway, but with no definitive means of transportation there, it has not been cost effective enough for support. So, for now, if you are in a remote area of Alaska and need medical care, you might want to hope your housemate is a health care professional.

Related: How to deal with an Upset or depressed Patient Options for Medical Services A large rural area of Alaska is home to an aging population. Many of the residents are in need of medical care, yet have difficulty getting to a medical facility. A volunteer MED transport company agreed to provide services for those in need, but it did not go smoothly. A 74 year old native Alaskan cut his leg severely with a filet knife, and needed numerous sutures. He was in the area for the new transport system, yet weather and terrain made it difficult for them to reach him. The rescue crew started out at 4 pm to make what should be a one hour drive to the resident’s home. The hour drive would be accurate when weather conditions were not a factor. The two EMT Workers made it with ½ mile of the patient's home, and navigated by foot the remainder of the way. It was 3 pm the following day before they arrived at the medical center with the patient.

The time had passed that sutures could be done, and because the knife was used to filet fish, there was a high risk of infection. The patient spent 17 days hospitalized before returning home. This is typical in this area, and this incident was no one's fault; however, they plan to transport patients simply failed. Current government officials are trying to devise a plan best suited for the aging population in this area.

Hospitals & Staffing The hospitals in the major cities of Alaska are generally well stocked, staffed, and supplied, however smaller medical centers are not so fortunate.

Many roads are not passable during extreme weather conditions, and medical supplies cannot be delivered. Blood shortages have been a real problem in the more isolated areas, as well as lack of trained medical staff.

A scholarship grant was started to train nurses that would then relocate to the rural, however it was not successful as anticipated. Currently there is a shortage of nurses in the isolated areas of Alaska, and there are incentives to bring workers in.

Related: The Happy Side of Nursing Statistics Statistically speaking, Alaskans are pretty healthy people. The death rate percent-wise is no higher than in the lower states. Heart disease is extremely rare among the population in Alaska, in fact, it has the lowest rate of heart disease within the United States. This is presumed to be due to the large amount of fish consumed. The omega rich diet has paid off and the residents are proof. The ice span in Alaska is actually above the national average, again most likely due to the amount of fish consumed, and lack of red meats.

Native Alaskans claim to be hearty individuals, able to care for themselves, and the statistics indicate they are right. There is, however, still a need for health care services to be extended in this area. Many children go unvaccinated, and a majority of pregnant women in rural areas do not seek medical care during pregnancy. This essentially leads to a medical crisis for portions of Alaska, and currently there is no planned solution. As of now, there are no definitive answers about the medical care dilemma, but new ideas are being explored with hopes that a solution will be reached in the near future.

Related: Exceptional Nurse Practitioner Tamara A. Strassell, MSN-ANP, will be Highlighted in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter