Healthcare System Overview

An In-Depth Look into the Healthcare System

Alaska’s Flagship Tribal Health Facility — Where Clinical Impact Meets Cultural Mission

At the heart of Anchorage sits the Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC), a facility that represents not just healthcare infrastructure but a profound community commitment. As part of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) — one of the largest and most comprehensive tribal health organizations in the nation — ANMC provides high-acuity, culturally attuned care to over 180,000 Alaska Native and American Indian people across a land mass larger than Texas and California combined.

Here, you’ll practice in a 176-bed, Joint Commission-accredited Level II Trauma Center that blends modern design with ancestral stewardship. You’ll walk into work surrounded by art and architecture that honors indigenous cultures. And you’ll know that each patient encounter supports a broader mission — healing generations with respect, dignity, and innovation.

The anesthesiology department plays a central role in the system’s surgical services, supporting a full range of cases across 11 inpatient ORs, 4 ambulatory surgery center ORs, and dedicated suites for C-sections and endoscopy. As a CRNA, you’ll find yourself surrounded by not just colleagues, but partners in purpose — serving in a collaborative model that respects autonomy while fostering shared excellence.

• Facility Type: A tribally operated academic medical center co-managed by ANTHC and Southcentral Foundation
• Service Area: Over 660,000 square miles, making ANMC a regional referral hub for rural and remote Alaskan communities
• Special Designations:
  • Only tribally operated hospital performing both pediatric and adult surgeries
  • Level II Trauma Center serving the entire state of Alaska
• Clinical Reach:
  • Telehealth and medevac systems extend critical care to dozens of village clinics
  • Integrated EMR and cultural liaison services ensure continuity of care for remote patients
• Cultural Integration:
  • Facility includes traditional healing spaces, indigenous artwork, and multilingual signage
  • Staff receive cultural competency training to support spiritual and holistic patient needs
• Professional Environment:
  • Opportunities for teaching, mentorship, and leadership development
  • CRNAs and physicians work in parallel tracks with mutual respect and shared clinical responsibility
• Recognition & Partnerships:
  • National model for tribally operated health systems
  • Works closely with the Indian Health Service (IHS) and serves as a training site for clinical rotations

Working at ANMC isn’t simply about medicine — it’s about becoming part of a legacy of healing and service that stretches far beyond the walls of the OR.