Skip to main content

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. 

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. 

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. 


Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest  and Twitter

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

As a Nursing Student, what Extracurricular Activities are Beneficial?

We already had our time to treat the immense demanding curricula a nursing school provides. Nursing students are often familiarized with it at the very beginning of their journey. Information usually being provided is strictly covering what the school curricula involve. It does not provide hints on possible courses or extracurricular activities a nurse-to-be has to follow in order to get the most of his/her studying years. A nursing student might consider going for a nurse related extracurricular activity that will be efficient in terms of time management. What might count as a productive extracurricular activity for a nursing student? o      Initiating one or more community service projects o      Job shadowing o      Volunteer   Why should one consider these extracurricular activities once he or she is studying to become a nurse? Well, first of all, nursing requires a lot of good will and dedication. It is that kind of profession you need to put all your physic

Where do Registered Nurses Work?

Registered nurses are needed far and wide, and there dispersal amongst various facilities is illuminating.   Commonly, you associate nurses with hospitals, but their expertise is needed in a plethora of environments.   An overwhelming amount of nurses, (60% to be exact) operate in hospitals.   Comparing this percentage to the mere 5% working in nursing homes, RN’s have disseminated into non-governmental and EDU positions, as well as employment facilities and doctor’s offices.    Related : 2016 INTERNATIONAL NURSES ASSOCIATION (INA) SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Visit www.nurseadvisormagazine.com for more information on nursing. R elated : Top Nurse with the International Nurses Association, Steven Eric Southerland, RN, BSN, AAS, EMT-P to Publish in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare Please follow us on Facebook , Linkedin , Pinterest , Twitter

Insomnia in Nurses

The nursing profession has more workers suffering from insomnia than any profession overall.   It's really not surprising: rotating shifts, long hours, emotionally draining days or nights, and of course the pressure of not making a mistake. It all can take its toll, and that toll may be in the form of insomnia.   Insomnia Facts Do you ever look at s sleeping baby, and think about how you wish you could sleep like that?   Babies have no daily worries. Someone always cares for their needs, so their minds are not preoccupied with “what ifs”, or consumed with thoughts of everything that must be accomplished the following day.   No wonder we can't sleep!   One of the main reasons so many nurses suffer from insomnia is that it's difficult to essentially shut the mind down.   You can physically put your body to bed, however you cannot reach in the brain, flip a switch, and turn of the mind.   Think of it like this; you get a comfortable blanket and pillow however ins