Rural Health

A nearly finished expansion will give Unalaska’s clinic more space for emergency care and other medical services. But funding remains a challenge for the clinic, which provides around-the-clock care to the community of about 4,500 people.

In rural Alaska, finding basic health and wellness supplies can be a challenge. But in Unalaska, a new 24-hour vending machine is a way for anyone to get those resources for free.

For this episode of Island Interviews, KUCB’s Sofia Stuart-Rasi sat down with Dr. Sean Davis with Aleutian Family Dentistry to learn more about dental hygiene at home, when to see a dentist and the most common issues he sees among his Unalaska patients.

The Iliuliuk Family and Health Services clinic updated its billing system for urgent care visits earlier this month. The change could mean increases in care rates for some patients, depending on their insurance providers and plans.

Unalaska’s main health clinic is updating its billing for same-day visits, which could mean increased rates for some patients.

The new designation strengthens emergency care in the Aleutian region.

Unalaska's community health center is preparing to start construction on an expansion that could help secure emergency care funding.

The board promoted Dawn Johnson, the former clinical services director, to chief operating officer and interim CEO.

King Cove often makes headlines for its long-fought battle over a proposed road that would connect it to the all-weather airport in Cold Bay. The remote Aleutian community says the road is key to saving lives because medevacs have a hard time landing on the small, gravel airstrip. With such limited healthcare, it’s a big deal when the community gets new medical equipment. And when they get something big, like the new ambulance that arrived in August, that can be cause for celebration.

Unalaska’s health clinic has been awarded funding to expand its facility on the island. The U.S. Department of Treasury will give Iliuliuk Family and Health Services $20 million to expand and renovate its building, the clinic announced Thursday.