Health Care and Child Care

Anchorage is proud of its health care services, which include acute care, neonatal care, substance abuse, chiropractic, dental, physical rehabilitation, hospice and home health care, psychiatric counseling, and medical education. Referrals for physicians are provided by the Alaska State Medical Association as well as by area hospitals.

Anchorage is home to the two largest hospitals in the state, Alaska Regional Hospital and Providence Alaska Medical Center. There is also the federally-funded Alaska Native Medical Center and Elmendorf Air Force Base Medical Center, in addition to 10 urgent care centers offering 24-hour care.

In 1996, Anchorage had 495 primary care and specialist physicians, which translates to 1.95 physicians per 1,000. However, visiting those doctors in Alaska can get expensive. The U.S. average cost of a brief visit to the doctor is $50. In Anchorage it is $73. The U.S. average hospital room daily rate is $457. In Anchorage, it is $684.

Alaska Regional Hospital’s medical facility and staff have been meeting the medical needs of Anchorage and the state for over a generation. In addition to complete inpatient and outpatient care, Alaska Regional Hospital’s specialized medical services cover cardiovascular services, maternity services, neonatal intensive care, a 24-hour emergency department, a comprehensive health management center, telemedicine, pediatric care, cancer services, diagnostic imaging, and a wide range of surgical services, including neuro, spinal, and orthopedic.

Alaska Regional Hospital recently completed a $7 million renovation project, and a new Medical Office Building is currently under construction. In addition, a new trauma/open heart surgery room opened at the end of last year.

The new hospital’s LifeFlight critical care ambulance service provides rural residents across the state with timely access to the hospital’s trauma facility. Alaska Regional Hospital is dedicated to meeting the total health care needs of Alaska.

Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center is a private, non-profit organization in operation since 1974. The Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center is the largest family practice clinic in the Municipality of Anchorage. With clinics in three locations, the center has 140 employees who provide a full range of medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and mental health services.

Charter North Behavioral Health System is a complete continuum of health care, offering mental health and substance abuse treatments to patients at every level of need. Designed to meet the diverse needs of patients throughout Alaska, the behavioral health system includes: Charter North Hospital, North Star Residential Treatment Center, and Charter North Counseling Centers.

Supervised by a team of professionals, treatment alternatives are flexible and cost effective, and provide responsive care in the least-restrictive setting. The integrated delivery system ensures the highest quality clinical care through a variety of treatment options. This approach allows for careful identification of the treatment option most appropriate for each individual, enabling a successful return to the family environment.

Providence Alaska Medical Center, Alaska’s largest hospital, has 341 beds and more than 400 physicians on staff and provides a full range of services. These services include: an Emergency Department with LifeGuard air ambulance transport; a Children’s Hospital with maternity, newborn, pediatric intensive care units, and multiple specialty unit clinics; Heart, Cancer and Rehabilitation Centers; and mental health and substance abuse recovery for adults and children. Other programs include a Sleep Disorders Center, Diagnostics, Providence Home Health Care, and tele-medicine to other Alaska communities.

Providence operates three long-term care facilities in Anchorage: Providence Extended Care Center, Mary Conrad Center, and Providence Horizon House, an assisted living facility for seniors. Providence also operates hospitals in Seward and Kodiak, runs a medical clinic in Girdwood, and is affiliated with Valley Hospital in Palmer. With more than 3,000 employees, Providence Health System is the second-largest private employer in Alaska. It is part of the Sisters of Providence of Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California.

Alaska Native Medical Center, a newly constructed facility, is located in east Anchorage. It provides a full range of primary and specialty medical services for Alaska Natives and American Indians. The medical center has 150 inpatient beds, employs more than 1,200 professional and support staff, and is a certified Level III trauma center.

The new $157 million Elmendorf Air Force Base Medical Center opened at Elmendorf Air Force Base last year. The new 100-bed facility features state-of-the-art equipment, including digital radiology, and replaces the existing 50-bed hospital, which had structural damage from the earthquake of 1964.

As well as health care, Anchorage has a wide range of child-care centers, licensed homes, and exempt homes. In 1997, there were 5,742 spaces in centers and 2,160 spaces in homes. Childcare costs in 1997 ranged from $400 to $700 per month, depending on the age of the child and the type of facility.