Nilavena Regional Health Center Celebrates 20th Anniversary
By Public Relations Specialist Christine Adams
Nilavena Regional Health Center has been providing health programs, services, functions, and activities since 2003.
Six villages surround Iliamna Lake: Igiugig, Kokhanok, Iliamna, New Halen, Nondalton, and Pedro Bay. While each community has a small clinic with one or two health aides, there are limitations, especially regarding trauma and emergency response. In 1999, the villages enlisted the help of Southcentral Foundation to plan, develop, and build a facility to offer more comprehensive services to the Iliamna Lake Region, including Port Alsworth.
The result was the Nilavena Subregional Clinic, now called the Nilavena Regional Clinic, a 9,000-square-foot medical clinic with an emergency room, four exam rooms, a laboratory, a pharmacy (connected to the telepharmancy system), a dental suite with two examination chairs, and more. The clinic opened its doors July 15, 2003.
“Customer-owners and community members have been extremely grateful Southcentral Foundation is the health organization providing services for Nilavena,” Nilavena Regional Health Center Supervisor Shannon Johnson said.
Nilavena Regional Health Center is a federally qualified health center offering services to all community members including Alaska Native, American Indian, and non-Native people. The clinic currently serves approximately 1,200 community members year-round, with increased visits in the summer during the fishing and tourism season.
Since its opening, services at Nilavena Regional Health Center have continued to expand to include limited specialty services such as dental, optometry, dietetics, and health education. Most recently, the clinic welcomed its first Tribal doctor apprentice. Julianna is not a tribal doctor yet who provides traditional healing services.
Nilavena Regional Health Center celebrated its 20th anniversary with a community barbecue in August.
For more information about Nilavena Regional Health Center, click here.
