Valerie Davidson, CEO of Alaska Native Medical Center, gave only a few more clues to tribal health leaders Friday than she gave to medical staff members and partners, after an unfavorable review by the federal government, which has given the medical center a bad report card.
Earlier, Davidson and the CEO of Southcentral Foundation had issued a letter to stakeholders saying that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid had revoked the “deemed status,” of the hospital after it didn’t meet government standards.
CMS can temporarily remove a health center’s “deemed status” after an inspection, if there are noncompliance or substantial other problems identified.
In a second letter that surfaced Friday, Davidson said that some of the problem has to do with the governance structure of ANTHC, Southcentral Foundation, and ANMC, which have a consortium relationship.
The issue surrounds the fact that ANMC does not have a governing body that is effective and legally responsible for the conduct of the accredited campus, and that the ANMC administrator does not have authority to manage the entire accredited campus, Davidson wrote. The letter was nearly as vague as the first letter.
Before ANMC was notified in writing about its status being revoked, it was told that the bad report was coming. It has until July 22 to submit a plan of correction to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. And then if deficiencies are not corrected by Oct. 10, the Medicare agreement that CMS has with the Native medical center will be terminated by the federal government.
“We know that nothing is more important than working together for the health and well-being of the patients, families, and communities we serve. For more than 25 years, the. Alaska Tribal Health System has operated on the key principles of respect, consensus, transparency, and unity. When we reflect our values and work together is when we’re at our best. Our people have known that since the beginning of time. We’re stronger and have better outcomes when we are working and moving the same direction, that’s who we are as Native people. When we’re together, it’s incredibly empowering and we all move forward. When we’re not, it has been devastating for all of us,” Davidson wrote to tribal leaders, giving few clues as to the real nature of the problem.
Gosh, that sounds like they are hiding something pretty bad. If they are allowed to cover it up, they’re no better than the Bidens.
No, it sounds like they don’t like the strange co-managed governing structure of ANMC. When the old native hospital closed, I think the intention was that the ANTHC would be the sole managing entity, but Southcentral Foundation wanted to manage outpatient, dental, behavioral health under its own management and ended up getting what they wanted. When outside accrediting authorities inspect things, they ask who’s ultimately in charge, and get told “Well ANTHC manages the hospital, SCF manages these services, and we split costs and revenues something like 70% for the hospital and 30% for Southcentral.” That’s nice, but who’s in charge.
I think that’s what they don’t like. And if CMS funding is at stake, I wonder if they’ll merge. But that would be extremely difficult after doing business like this for 25+ years.
Good analysis, do the other 12 corporations want to give absolute control over to Anchorage.? I bet not. Politics, politics, politics.
No, ANTHC is the bigger dog. It wouldn’t make sense to put SCF in charge.
Each Native corporation manages they’re own Native health corporation. When patients need care that they cannot receive in their communities they will go to ANMC. Example: Patient in Nome needs advanced surgery, they will go to ANMC.
The politics is once a patient is at ANMC, they are under the joint care of SCF and ANTHC services. The good thing is the state has a health record network accessible by any doctor in the AK Native Health System.
That is inaccurate – there is no ANCSA corporation that manages health care nor do they have any governance relationship with a regional native health care provider. Sealaska does not have a funding ore governance relationship with SEARHC, for example. Most of the health care providers for natives is done via free-standing non-profits.
And, accessible by the CEO of SCF thus presentibble to any federal alphabet, federal agent or foreign partnership. Ergo, the succession of cabal awards.
Didn’t ANMC also just spill a DEC reportable amount of fuels into University Lake, as well?
Yes they did
They need to elect a professional board of directors, this is no easy task. Everything is extremely complicated theses days. I would suggest the CEOs of some top end businesses in alaska. High caliber they are out there.
There is a joint operations board with 7-8 members. Half from ANTHC and half from SCF. Many of the board members are involved in other scopes of professions already. But yes there is room for improvement
And none of the ANTHC board members have experienced and related health care experience. They are ANCSA affiliated appointed members of the native network. That’s one problem. I didn’t like having the biggest and only Native hospital not being administrated by a board with zero healthcare experience. The board should consist of only M.Ds, nurse practictioners, Nurses, and health care administrators not ANCSA tribal leaders. I was surprised when I got better care at Bartlett Regional Hidpital, and I looked at its board of directors and saw why. Their administration from the board to its staff know health care.
That’s categorically incorrect; each tribal health organization manages their own health services, and are governed by a board comprised of representatives of the tribes that oversee them. They are completely unrelated to the ANSCA corps. ANTHC provides tertiary services for all the regions, and their boards are comprised of representatives from each heath care organization. The ANTHC boards do have health care experience, they oversee their individual regions and ensure that the tertiary service- ANMC- meets the specific needs of their own people.
They also have a parallel tribal heath directors board that covers the specific medical health administration matters, and that board is comprised of the same caliber medical professionals you’d see at any facility. Despite what anyone says, our system of tribal health is unparalleled in the US, and there are a lot of great and talented people who work there.
I’ve been a military dependent, received care in the lower 48, have the option of services here with my health insurance- and still choose to use tribal health.
And Ms. Downing- Davidsons letter is actually pretty clear; it is a complex subject. ANTHC and SCF are in a pissing match about who is in charge, and for whatever reason the JOB isn’t adequate, so they forced the issue by notifying CMS, knowing that the threat of losing Medicaid funding would get them in compliance.
My question (since I dont know) how bad was ANTHC before Valerie Davidson ? I mean she wasn’t great at the State with Health and Social Services ( I mean the whole mess at API was on her watch), can ANYONE tell me what she did at Alaska Pacific University ? and while at ANTCH she has said they don’t have to abide by religious exemptions. I was in Nome at the Kawarek conference the time she was Lt Gov when she gave a speech how white people & the state were so evil and stealing native kids in foster care. Maybe the billion dollar native corps can do something for their people ? Oh wait thats right she can’t be racist and the corps dont care about their people including ANTCH . In a nut shell everywhere she has gone she’s cashing checks and just hopping because she fits a demographic
Well, their previous CEO was in hot water over some #me too allegations, and crashed his helicopter en route back to his home in Kodiak.
You are referring to Andy Teuber – he was the board chair, not CEO. However, he was the CEO of KANA – a non-profit based on Kodiak Island to provide services to that region (and no legal or financial relationship to Koniag – the regional ANCSA corporation). As the tribal consortium board chair and CEO of KANA Teuber was pulling millions a dollars a year in salary. But what work did he do? He never was in the office at either place, he was too busy running his helicopter charter business.
Elsewhere in social media members of his family mentioned that he regularly was chasing women around that he worked with.
PePe, that has nothing to do with Valerie Davidson being a terrible manager and leaving a wake of poorly run institutions and job hopping from appointed position to appointed position. She’s a quota and doesn’t know it
She’s a tool, plain and simple. Negligent and, by now a deep state actor. Useless. Torturer.
In short, they’re in trouble.
Makes one wonder what shape SERHC is on.
Glaring deficiency? Hope they get it together and also hire a lawyer/ nurse for hospital administrator for the good of the patients.
Follow the money!!
What is the value of the revenue stream and are they putting the correct share in the mafia/democrats pockets?
Thinking about it, the easiest thing to get back into their good graces by October would just accede that ANTHC is in charge and SCF is under it hierarchically, and then try to do things status quo ante in spite of that. But of course that wouldn’t last long and ANTHC would start throwing their weight around in ways they couldn’t before.
The patients did not feel they had a voicevwhen the Navy ran ANS before. They couldn’t even get current medicines available to the other patients who didn’t to to ANS like salves for skin problems etc. They could only get medicines that were military stockpiled and sometimes out of date. Or dangerous medications that inhibited dna. Both things happened to me. The management structure SCF ameliorated some of those deficiencies. Let’s remember that. Tell them again! Why we do it that way.
The Navy never ran ANS, the Indian Health Service did.
I saw the uniforms. I complained to the brass. I don’t know what I’m talking about. I don’t have eyes. I didn’t face them directly. I didn’t call the state and ask about various medical licenses (none), I didn’t ask how that was possible, the state didn’t tell me they were navy enlisted. You know everything. You did my research. My research was wasted garbage. You’re right you know my experiences better than I. How do you do that? You are so woke.
I’m gonna thrown the BS flag on that. You’re just making attacks and innuendo to deflect you got called out. Yet you call Dawgster “woke” thats you in the mirror
. Indian Health Service is considered a “uniformed service” and their issued uniforms do look and mirror navy uniforms so it’s an easy mistake. Don’t believe the white guy ? check the site, ‘https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-culture/what-is-the-usphs/
They also look like coast guard uniforms. but again with your other posts don’t let facts block your rage
Rick, you are a bully. This is my literal experience. I was surprised the navy was involved. But not really. I was surprised some providers did not have any state license. They got a pass. Navy medics. I don’t have a problem with it. I did have a problem when medication I needed was not dispensed. I asked the ANS Pharmacist why “We don’t have everything stocked. We have what the military has”. “Well, it doesn’t work on me, my skin is literally bleeding and nothing else works than this other medicine”. We don’t carry it and probably won’t ever carry it”. Got the medicine through other readily available doctors prescription. Another time I had a medicine on my desk. Some guy came by and said who is taking this”? I Said “me”. He said “Are you planning on ever having kids? Don’t take that stuff bad side effects”. I researched and he was right. ANS did not tell me about the side effects. Those were a couple of problems. It’s probably much better now with these type things since SCF got involved. Whatever. Why do you think you know people’s experiences than they. Know their experiences? You reserve the right to disrespect older native women. YOU GOT TO GET OVER ON SOME BIDDY. Good luck with that.
Me not woke at all. YOU?
A Galeutian gonna die on the hill huh that the “Navy” helped you even though it’s not true huh ? So you had bad docs and pharmacist huh, we get that out here in the real world medical also. Here is something you don’t understand that if you work for the federal system you have to be licensed by A STATE, not the one you are in because you can transfer around the country
Actually I am no woke, rather, the case is you are ignorant.
The Indian Health Service used health care providers who were part of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, which is why you saw uniforms.
The Commission Corps, along with the Merchant Marine and the Coast Guard, are uniformed service members that can be called up during wartime.
What you might say, but if you go and look at what federal department the US Coast Guard is in, you will find it not in the Department of Defense but the Department of Homeland Security.
Not so ignorant I don’t know exactly who you are.
I am not an expert on military uniforms past and present. Pardon me. The military was naval and maritime. They avoided any interaction with patients. The medical care at ANS was not the highlight of my life but they usually tried to take care of everything that came up I have had excellent medical care elsewhere though.
So both of these gentleman are hostile to me due to my ethnic heritages. I recount my literal experiences and Rick alludes to a hill on which I am going to die. Right neighborly of you, Rick. That is a physical threat to me. Physical threat. Dawgster says I am ignorant. One of the events I describe was in the early seventies. Was working in a muni office. I called the state to find the license to complain against the license of the doctor who prescribed who did not mention side effects. I spoke with the state office which does the licensing about someone practicing in AK. I am told that I am ignorant by the important illustrious Dawgster. What do you do when you need to let a professional society overseeing a particular practice know someone may be practicing unethically purporting to treat dermatological issues and you are told by the state of AK that the person in question had no license to practice on file in AK. Fact. I thought one could not practice medically in Alaska without a license. She could not find the nice person attempting to treat a severe longstanding skin problem who was treating at ANMC with or without a license registered in Alaska. I said how can they practice without one on file? She said they were a navy medic. I relied upon her information. I went to ANMC to report a deficiency. Then as now it was considered strange to enquire about this and I asked the process to place a complaint against the deficiency. Evidently this bright Dawgster is in a superior position as is Rick but we are equal under the US Constitution. As I see it we are unequal. I politely did not announce the hill Rick is dying on. That would be threatening. But he is accustomed to speaking in this manner in this forum in this manner to me precisely because I self identified with my Grandmothers’ Aleut heritage. Rick, (whose ethnic heritage I believe do know), Dawgster and I are not peers evidently in the Constitutional sense. They are each facile and practiced in down talking to the public. We are not constitutionally equal in Anchorage. Rick is an unusually pleasant person “How’s the family”. I believe I know him from who from housing as youngsters. RIck alludes to my opportunities. I have not had opportunities except to work. He advanced and has announced the hill I’m dying on. Dawgster is an MD who worked for several years at ANMC. He can turn on the charm obviously but carefully not to his social inferiors and he is very careful about this. He I believe held authority in ANMC at one time. He is he believes Val Davidson’s sometimes peer. He, I believe, acted as a “mentor” to Dr. Zink who oppressively believes she will be ushering in the medical and malthusian end to what they euphemistically refer to as democracy but is really a capitalistic, confederate republic form of government which will still be in existence when the 1871 corporate structure has reduced funds from unconstrained spending. The republic will still be here. Dawgster and Rick may be ignorant about that. Dawgster’s mannerisms indicate he is a guy that floats comfortably within prominent public health agencies. He knows their agendas and supports them. He hopes to keep the current leadership from having any professional personal difficulties due to any recent events.
Calm down. I believe you.
To work as a civilian provider at ANMC or as a member of the US PHs Commissioned Corps you are required to have a license. It may not been originally issued in Alaska but no matter, you are flat out wrong in claiming providers were not licensed.
They were practicing and prescribing in Alaska. Alaska stated the practicing individuals were not licensed in Alaska. I am sure it is their custom to lie to Alaskans.
a Persons is professionally linked with professional societies when can corrected deficiencies in the practices to protect professional reputations. The societies perform quality control among their peers. AnS Sheila’s those who are licensed from corrective feedback. Medicare insurance may not like that diminishment of service to their beneficiaries. A tiny bit inconvenient. Someone gets paid the big bucks to figure out the work around. Sometimes they have the intellectual capacity to perform adequately. Sometimes evidently “they” do not.
What ever happens, rest assured that more (and more) government money will be required. It is undoubtedly comforting to know that while you must adopt and execute “difficult” and “complicated” plans of correction, someone else will be paying for them.
I’m struck a bit dumb that the feds can demand a private hospital restructure its governance lest they lose Medicare. Does that seem like too much power? The hospital should fight this. Or simply say, “Good, we don’t need your Medicare.”
ANMC is not a private hospital. It does receive partial funding from Indian Health Services I believe.
If Americans would like to relinquish land that was taken from natives of the land and policy was refusal to pay wampum for it then but it was agreed they would offer adequate medical care instead for as long as the Caucasians want to be the deciders of all the land in America. They do not choose to relinquish their deeded lands. Right. It’s a shame it wasn’t free for the Caucasians to steal all the land for others for THE FORESEEABLE future 🔮. It must be difficult to for whites know stealing is expensive. Sorry.
There we go requesting handouts when you get so many anyway. Preference for schools (UAA-ANSEP), jobs, welfare, job training etc. You live a racist lifestyle and they cry that you don’t get ENOUGH handouts. Here is a huge concept for you to grasp…People with more technology , better guns, and more of them dominated another group of people and took their land….THAT has happened for millennia and even apes and chimps still do it. It’s part of being on earth… YOUR culture is in YOU not your land….Don’t believe me Ask the Jews who thrived on earth for 2000 years with no homeland . don’t let facts block your rage
Congratulations. I remember you from the projects. :*)
Silence? :*)
Remember, Val Davidson pushed very hard for Medicaid Expansion while Walker was governor. She got it done. Now the ANTHC can also bill Medicaid and fill its coffers to overflowing. Davidson owes Bill Walker lots.
The Indian Healthcare Improvement Act (PL 94-437 and passed under President Nixon) included Medicare and Medicaid – had nothing to do with Walker or Davidson.
That was for the STATE of ALASKA expansion not the FEDERAL expansion. ‘https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/help/medicaid
If you read that it shows you how the STATE will pay for Part B of Medicaid.
Did Alaska expand Medicaid?
Yes, Medicaid eligibility in Alaska was expanded under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but not until September 2015. In most of the states that have expanded coverage, expansion took effect in January 2014, but the hold-out states have been slowly adopting Medicaid expansion over the years.
LINK:’https://www.healthinsurance.org/medicaid/alaska/#:~:text=Did%20Alaska%20expand%20Medicaid%3F,Medicaid%20expansion%20over%20the%20years.
Currently, if you have a “problem with your care” call a phone number by the elevator. A very nice high school graduate will call and apologize. It matters to her what tone of voice that God gave you you may use. She knows nothing of federal rights, treaty rights, business protocols or professional ethics. Rather like municipal stipenders. She will help you by: spelling your name right, noting time of day and writing down your phone numbers. That is the “service” and accountability. These people emulate pleasantness and apology and always ask what else they can do which invariably “nothing”. That’s it.
These services need to be farmed out.
Put out to bid.
ANS is a quasi-governmental money clambake party.
With little accountability, apparently.
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