3/22-3/23: We visited the Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC) in Anchorage Alaska. Day 1 was filled with meeting a variety of staff from the ANMC. We first met with a recruiter. Next, we were placed in a meeting room where we learned about Community Health Assistants (CHA's) and Dental Health Aides (DHA's). Both are beneficial to the rural communities served in AK. We moved into another room after this to learn about telehealth. We were able to see the technology used and speak to an assistant through their telehealth video technology. The stories were interesting in how helpful this technology is. For instance how CHA's are able to call Emergency MD's for help in trauma situations. At the end of our morning session we met with an engineer who discussed sewer systems in rural areas of AK and what his part has been in creating new systems that work for specific communities. You will see in the pictures that he gave me a "traditional" toilet to elevate my leg during his presentation.
Midday we enjoyed a healthy lunch at their cafeteria. I noted the difficulty in finding a soda, as the healthy options of juice, water or coconut water were displayed more abundantly. They also had a menu full of local healthy food such as salmon wraps with romaine and cranberry. After lunch we moved into a new location for more learning from the medical center staff. The first speaker was quite the story teller. She said in her culture they introduce themselves by their parents and grandparents. This way they can make connections to those around them and they don't forget where they came from. She told a story about her family hunting moose and how one of them got hurt and went to the hospital. She ended the drawn out story by saying "So, be prepared when you ask us what brought us in to the hospital. You will not just get a short description. We will tell you the whole story". She wanted to reiterate how important it is to give people the time to speak and give more detail.
I also enjoyed the H.R. presenter Lina. She had so much useful information on the model of care at ANMC and she was such a sweetheart. She also shared some of her personal stories about being a patient and how she envisioned changed. I plan to gain the powerpoint she presented from that day so I can shared it with people back home.
On 3/23 we had a brief tour of the ANMC Clinic and Traditional Healing Unit. We were led by a woman by the name of Mary. She showed us the lobby that is intentionally decorated to soothe "customer-owners" as they wait to be seen. You could feel the change walking through. The lights where dim and the furniture was plush. We walked into the "pod" area where nurses, providers and other assistive staff work together as a team for the patient. Mary described how they are intentional about creating an even playing field for all staff. Providers are not viewed as more important than the medical assistant. She said they are all needed equally in the team. After the clinic tour Mary led us to the traditional healing unit. There we met with "Buzz" the director. He was a handsome Dr. who reminded me of an older Anton Truer. He even had his pretty bright smile. I wondered if he was Native American rather than Alaskan Native because of his long braided hair and bone and bead lanyard.
Buzz had a beautiful spirit and spoke highly of the people he works alongside. He invited the elders to speak on their behave of what they do. I loved hearing them speak and talk about the body work they do, about slowly bringing out trauma, instead of forcing it. I listened to one elder speak and so much of it reminded me of my grandmother I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I think it was when she began speaking about boarding schools trauma and the full moon circles she facilitates.
Afterwards we received a tour behind the scenes and enjoyed some fresh spearmint tea from their healing garden. I asked a women who does body work for her card. I asked her if she worked much with the pregnant mothers who hold trauma within when they are carrying their babies. She said she did. I would like to learn more from her on the future, so I plan to connect with her after this trip. I also asked Buzz if he ever travels to do conferences and share the work they do here at ANMC. He gave me a "save the date" card for a conference coming up in September. I would also love to invite Buzz and the elders to come speak at Fond du Lac and/or Duluth Clinics. We have a lot to learn from them. They carry a lot of knowledge.
Some take-aways from these 2 days:
Midday we enjoyed a healthy lunch at their cafeteria. I noted the difficulty in finding a soda, as the healthy options of juice, water or coconut water were displayed more abundantly. They also had a menu full of local healthy food such as salmon wraps with romaine and cranberry. After lunch we moved into a new location for more learning from the medical center staff. The first speaker was quite the story teller. She said in her culture they introduce themselves by their parents and grandparents. This way they can make connections to those around them and they don't forget where they came from. She told a story about her family hunting moose and how one of them got hurt and went to the hospital. She ended the drawn out story by saying "So, be prepared when you ask us what brought us in to the hospital. You will not just get a short description. We will tell you the whole story". She wanted to reiterate how important it is to give people the time to speak and give more detail.
I also enjoyed the H.R. presenter Lina. She had so much useful information on the model of care at ANMC and she was such a sweetheart. She also shared some of her personal stories about being a patient and how she envisioned changed. I plan to gain the powerpoint she presented from that day so I can shared it with people back home.
On 3/23 we had a brief tour of the ANMC Clinic and Traditional Healing Unit. We were led by a woman by the name of Mary. She showed us the lobby that is intentionally decorated to soothe "customer-owners" as they wait to be seen. You could feel the change walking through. The lights where dim and the furniture was plush. We walked into the "pod" area where nurses, providers and other assistive staff work together as a team for the patient. Mary described how they are intentional about creating an even playing field for all staff. Providers are not viewed as more important than the medical assistant. She said they are all needed equally in the team. After the clinic tour Mary led us to the traditional healing unit. There we met with "Buzz" the director. He was a handsome Dr. who reminded me of an older Anton Truer. He even had his pretty bright smile. I wondered if he was Native American rather than Alaskan Native because of his long braided hair and bone and bead lanyard.
Buzz had a beautiful spirit and spoke highly of the people he works alongside. He invited the elders to speak on their behave of what they do. I loved hearing them speak and talk about the body work they do, about slowly bringing out trauma, instead of forcing it. I listened to one elder speak and so much of it reminded me of my grandmother I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I think it was when she began speaking about boarding schools trauma and the full moon circles she facilitates.
Afterwards we received a tour behind the scenes and enjoyed some fresh spearmint tea from their healing garden. I asked a women who does body work for her card. I asked her if she worked much with the pregnant mothers who hold trauma within when they are carrying their babies. She said she did. I would like to learn more from her on the future, so I plan to connect with her after this trip. I also asked Buzz if he ever travels to do conferences and share the work they do here at ANMC. He gave me a "save the date" card for a conference coming up in September. I would also love to invite Buzz and the elders to come speak at Fond du Lac and/or Duluth Clinics. We have a lot to learn from them. They carry a lot of knowledge.
Some take-aways from these 2 days:
- "Everything I do I try to traditionalize"- I like that in additional to decolonize...traditionalize
- "Traditional healing makes you thrive. - Womens circle every moon
- Speak from the heart of self
- Don't blame the community (s)
- Children under 9 years old who receive an operation are said to have lower IQ
- Problems in care because 'we did not ask the community what they needed/wanted" (DHA therapist)
- "Tobacco treatment cessation" - I like that title
- Healing gardens
- Ancestral knowledge- they are acknowledging this as well
- "It's not medical care. It's people care" - "It's life care"
- Josie Ambridge tells the funny story about introducing her white husband to her father. She said this is Bret. Her father repeated "Sookkaanee". She laughed and said no. Her father was calling him "White bread". He said isn't that what you said? Haha reminded me of a family story I had like this.
- Involving patient and family will equal better health outcomes
- "The iceberg concepts of culture"
- Change communication from task focused to patient focused
- Watch Cleveland Clinic Empathy video on Youtube https://youtu.be/cDDWvj_q-o8