A funding request to provide substance abuse treatment service was added in 1987. In 1998, SCF obtained ownership and management of programs located in the Primary Care Center at the Alaska Native Medical Center, which serves the entire Native population of the state - an estimated 85,000 people. In January 1999, SCF and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium signed an agreement to take over management of all Indian Health Service programs on the Alaska Native Health Campus, location of the Alaska Native Medical Center, Anchorage Native Primary Care Center, SCF's main administration building and several other facilities. Since assuming management, SCF has instituted significant philosophical and other changes in the design and administration of these programs. For perhaps the first time in history, Native people are taking charge of designing and delivering our healthcare - not only for ourselves, but for our children, parents and other family members.
Specific examples are too many to mention.
However, some general observations come to mind. One is the implementation of the Access to Care philosophy. At the Anchorage Native Primary Care Center, which SCF now owns, over 18,500 clients have been empanelled to a primary care physician. Southcentral Foundation also has instituted an unwavering customer focus to help identify weak spots in delivery. A Patient Resource Center is currently under development, which will operate in concert with the patient advocate system within the hospital.