Pre-moistened body and sanitary wipes are gaining popularity, which is unfortunately correlated with a rise in damage to plumbing pipes and costly repairs as a result of these wipes being flushed down toilets. Over the past year, ANMC and other regional hospitals and clinics have had several plumbing clogs, as well as sewer drain damage to village sanitation systems. The most frequent cause of the clogs has been masses of moistened “flushable” wipes. Many brands of these wipes are marketed ...

Heart disease is among the leading causes of death for Alaska Native and American Indian people. With so many of our people affected by heart disease, it is essential to have timely access to cardiology and telemetry monitoring services. At the ANMC hospital, we recently expanded our telemetry services to span the entire fifth floor. Up until the expansion, we only had the capability to serve 12 patients who required cardiac monitoring at one time. These services were previously provided ...

For years, Alaska Native leaders negotiated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for permission to serve traditional foods to those who could really benefit from their healing and comforting effects. ANTHC has long been at the forefront of advocating for the positive aspects of harvesting and eating traditional foods— and permission to serve them to our patients and visitors at the Alaska Native Medical Center. In 2013, a bill from former Alaska U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, named the “The Traditional ...

When the new patient housing facility opens on the Alaska Native Health Campus in Anchorage, the ANTHC facility will also be home to Alaska’s first Ronald McDonald House on the top floor of the six-story building. ANTHC and Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Western Washington & Alaska (RHMC) will expand their current partnership to provide programming and activities that enhance the “home away from home” environment for families of pediatric patients at the Alaska Native Medical Center. The partnership with ...