Emergency Services Department Expands to Support Growing Population

By Southcentral Foundation Corporate Communications

The increased capacity in the Emergency Services Department is the first major expansion in 25 years at the Alaska Native Medical Center.

As the expansion of the Alaska Native Medical Center hospital continues, leadership from Southcentral Foundation and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, the organizations that co-manage the ANMC accredited campus, attended a blessing ceremony for the additional rooms in the Emergency Services Department. Traditional healers led a prayer and a smudging ceremony before blessing each new room in the Emergency Services Department.

“It was a pleasure to join traditional healers, ANMC leadership, and our ANTHC partners for a blessing ceremony at the Emergency Service Department expansion,” said SCF president and CEO April Kyle.

The phased expansion comes at a time when the hospital, which was built in the 1990s to serve Alaska Native and American Indian people across Alaska, has seen major growth in the population it serves. It marks the first expansion in about 25 years for the hospital and the additional beds will become part of a 60-bed Emergency Services Department.

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium has taken the lead the significant expansion of the ANMC hospital, working in partnership with Southcentral Foundation. Opening the additional rooms marks the completion of the first phase of the renovations with several more to come.

“One of the biggest challenges we have had for years has been that our Emergency Services Department is vastly small, too small for the population that we serve,” said ANMC Administrator Alan Vierling. “The 18 beds give us the opportunity to really give each patient the private experience they need to get the best examination, the best treatment, and the best care that we can provide for them.”

Once all phases of the expansion are completed, the hospital’s second floor will include 10 new surgical recovery bays and a Clinical Decision Unit for those who may or may not end up needing hospital admission. Expanded trauma capability, including a dedicated drive through ambulance entrance, will occur in later phases of construction. The Emergency Services Department expansion will occur over several years with final completion set for 2027.