Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium

Health System with 2 hospitals across 1 state

Health System Overview

Health SystemSoutheast Alaska Regional Health Consortium
Total Hospitals2
Commercial/Acute Hospitals2
Total Beds33
Commercial/Acute Beds33
HeadquartersSitka, AK
Websitesearhc.org

Hospitals by Type

Critical Access Hospital
2 hospitals
100% of health system

Teaching Status

0%
Teaching
Teaching Hospitals:
Non-Teaching Hospitals: 2
Teaching hospitals serve as educational institutions for medical professionals while providing patient care.

Hospital Locations

Hospitals in this Health System

HospitalTypeBedsTeachingRecently Joined
Wrangell Medical CenterCritical Access Hospital 8NoNo
Southeast Alaska Regional Health ConsortiumCritical Access Hospital25NoNo

Recent News

Apr 10, 2025
Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) and the Sitka Community Health Council hosted a community listening session where over 20 Sitkans shared frustrations and concerns. The nearly two-and-a-half-hour event, mandated by charter, is the annual opportunity for the community to directly address hospital leadership. Key issues raised included challenges with communication systems and a perceived lack of transparency from leadership. Several speakers, including a retired Sitka physician, praised the quality of care from SEARHC employees but directed their criticism towards upper management who they felt were inaccessible. Concerns from a previous year's session regarding the 2023 closure of a Medicare-certified home health program were reiterated, with a SEARHC representative stating the program required significant resources for a niche group, a comment that drew a strong, negative reaction from the president of the Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4. SEARHC's Chief Medical Officer acknowledged the feedback and stated they would continue to work on the issues raised, emphasizing their desire for feedback to improve, even if they don't always get it right. Updates were also provided on the construction of a new $250 million hospital in Sitka expected to open in 2026, expanded access to specialty care through partnerships, and a new online patient portal. [3, 5, 11]
Mar 30, 2025
SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) launched a new patient portal called MySEARHC, aiming to provide patients with easier access to their health records and improve communication with healthcare providers. The new portal went live on March 30, 2025, replacing a previous, more limited online system. MySEARHC allows patients to schedule appointments, send messages to their medical teams, request prescription renewals, and view lab results, among other features. The service is optional and available at no cost to patients across all Southeast communities served by SEARHC. According to Dr. Cate Buley, SEARHC's chief medical officer, the MySEARHC portal represents a significant upgrade. Patients with a current email address on file with SEARHC should receive information on how to register, and those who don't receive an email can contact SEARHC to be added to the system. The portal is intended to streamline interactions and reduce the need for phone calls, offering direct access to medical records and providers. While it offers enhanced services, it is not a substitute for in-person appointments or emergency calls. The portal also includes a feature for connecting patients and providers through video visits and allows patients to view itemized bills. SEARHC is contracting with MEDITECH, an international provider of electronic health records systems, for the online portal.
Mar 04, 2025
Dr. Cate Buley, Chief Medical Officer at SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC), is scheduled to be a panelist at the HIMSS 2025 conference in Orlando, Florida. She will be participating in a session titled "Transforming Healthcare Through Ambient Listening and Generative AI: From Clinical Documentation to Comprehensive Care Intelligence." This session is part of the Smart Experience Theater in the Interop & Smart Experience Pavilion and is set to take place on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 1:45 PM. The panel will discuss how ambient listening and generative AI are being used to improve clinical documentation and provide more comprehensive care intelligence. Other panelists include representatives from MEDITECH, Microsoft Corporation, and Health Data Management Group. [5, 9]
Feb 03, 2025
In recognition of National Heart Health Month, SEARHC is offering a free "Heart Matters" program to the Sitka community. This initiative aims to promote heart health and likely includes educational components or activities related to cardiovascular well-being. [19]
Jan 17, 2025
The Alaska Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Rusch v. Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, related to attorney's fees in workers' compensation claims. The case involved two claimants who settled their claims with SEARHC but proceeded to litigate attorney's fees. Their attorney was initially awarded significantly less than requested by the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board, a decision affirmed by the Alaska Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission. The Supreme Court previously reversed the Commission's decision, clarifying that the Alaska Workers' Compensation Act allows for enhanced fees and remanded the case for reconsideration. In this latest decision, the Supreme Court again vacated the fee award and remanded the case, finding that the Commission abused its discretion by not adequately considering factors supporting an enhanced fee. The court emphasized the need for the Commission to apply the modified lodestar method, which involves calculating a baseline fee and considering adjustments based on factors like the complexity and novelty of the case and the contingent nature of the work. [14, 16]

Executive Leadership

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