Alaska Southcentral Foundation - Nuka System of Care

The Southcentral Foundation, an Alaska Native-owned primary health care system based in Anchorage, began implementing key components of the PCMH model in 1999 called the  "Nuka System of Care."  The program's vision and mission focus on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness and working together as a Native Community.

This program uses empanelment strategies to match patients to integrated and comprehensive care teams (through self-selection or assignment), provides enhanced access to health care (e.g., open scheduling, expanded office hours and increased availability of electronic communication with patients) and improves care coordination through integrated primary care teams (mulitdisciplinary team-based care).  

About 45 percent of the Nuka System's funding comes from what is essentially an annual block grant from the Indian Health Service, a source unavailable to most health systems; another 45 percent comes from Medicaid, Medicare and private insurers, and the remaining funding is derived from philanthropy and grants. Click here for more information about the Nuka System of Care's partner organizations and funding sources.