Southcentral Foundation’s Nuka System of Care is a transformative approach to health care delivery that recognizes patients as “customer-owners” who have both a genuine ownership stake in the organization and a meaningful role in decision-making. By reimagining the full continuum of care, the Nuka system is effectively improving access and quality of care for rural and low-income Alaska Native communities. Based in Anchorage, Alaska, Nuka provides integrated health care services, including medical, dental, behavioral, and support services, to more than 65,000 Alaska Native people. The Nuka System of Care differs from traditional health care services in a wide variety of ways. Key features include: (1) a system built for and accountable to patients (known as “customer-owners” within the Nuka system); (2) an emphasis on prevention, behavioral health, primary care, and supportive services; (3) multidisciplinary care teams with robust communication among team members; (4) full redesign of how behavioral health is delivered, including the integration of behavioral health into primary care; (5) significant investments in staff training and development to reduce turnover, enhance quality of care, provide opportunities for career advancement, and--perhaps most importantly--ensure commitment to an organizational culture grounded in customer service; (6) facility and workflow design that promotes relation-building and improves interactions with (and among) providers; and (7) continuous performance monitoring based on sophisticated information technology and data management.
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