Anchorage is a unique and special place to live. With vibrant communities, high-quality neighborhoods and beautiful scenery, it is no wonder over 280,000 people call Anchorage home.
While this city is a wonderful place to work and live, it lacks enough emergency care facilities to properly support the population. Alaska Regional Hospital wants to change that, and we need your help.
Anchorage families and residents deserve the peace of mind that comes with having timely and convenient access to ER services. In an emergency, seconds save lives. That's why Alaska Regional Hospital is looking to expand its ability to provide life-saving care by building an emergency room in South Anchorage at 11841 Old Seward Highway.
The South Anchorage ER will be able to do all the things a main-campus emergency room can do. It will treat heart attacks, strokes, broken bones and other emergencies. This emergency room will bring hospital-level emergency care to communities that otherwise lack easy access to life-saving care options. The South Anchorage ER will be staffed with board-certified physicians and connected to the nationally recognized care and capabilities of Alaska Regional Hospital.
Approximately 22% of Anchorage ER visits come from residents of South Anchorage. Bringing hospital-level diagnostic and treatment capabilities closer to home for these residents will save and improve lives. The project will also improve care at Anchorage’s existing hospitals by relieving growing pressure on other ERs and reducing the amount of time our area’s ERs are unable to receive patients from emergency services crews.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: If approved, the South Anchorage ER will operate as a Joint Commission-accredited department of the hospital, bringing the capabilities and high-quality care of Alaska Regional Hospital to an area currently lacking emergency care options. Like a traditional emergency room, the South Anchorage ER will offer life-saving treatment and diagnostic care. If a patient needs to be admitted or evaluated by a specialist, we will work with the patient to provide a seamless transition to Alaska Regional Hospital or another appropriate facility for their care needs.
A: The South Anchorage ER will offer more resources and services than urgent care centers. Urgent care centers do not operate 24/7, do not accept ambulance patients, and are not required to treat everyone who comes through the doors, regardless of their ability to pay. Furthermore, urgent care staff are unable to treat a range of conditions, including heart attacks and stroke, or conduct complex lab services.
A: None of the funding will come out of your pocket. In fact, as part of a tax-paying health system, Alaska Regional Hospital directly invests in and supports our community’s needs. Last year, we incurred more than $22 million in taxes, and we also delivered charity care, uninsured discounts and other uncompensated care at an estimated cost of more than $9.5 million in Alaska alone.
A: The majority of ER patients are discharged without requiring hospitalization or specialty care. Patients who require additional care at Alaska Regional Hospital’s main campus will not pay transportation costs or a second facility fee.
A: The South Anchorage ER will be much smaller than traditional main-campus emergency rooms, which can sometimes be associated with more traffic. Due to the size and location of this proposed facility, traffic will not be substantially increased.
A: Yes, we are very excited to discuss this project with our community. For information on our upcoming meetings and activities, please watch this page and our hospital’s social media feed.