About AFHCP

Goals…

•Facilitate patient access to the right care, at the right time, at the right place

 •Optimize technology

•Promote patient wellness

•Create need-based, business environment

•Maintain medical preparedness

•Enhance awareness of Partnership

Underlying Philosophy

•Long term relationships

•Health care as close to home as possible

•Respect individual cultures

•Business/patient centered

•Evolving process

•Inclusive not exclusive

History…

•1940-1970  Informal cooperation to serve a geographically isolated community

•1980s   VA/Elmendorf AFB joint venture to build a new hospital

 •1993-1994  Alaskan military Medical Treatment Facilities (MTF’s) form a strong partnership to Pursue TRICARE objectives

•Oct 1994       Implementation of the DoD Alaska Region Health Care Plan (ARHCP)

•1994-1995    DoD, VA and Indian Health Service (IHS) in Anchorage & Fairbanks join to form large Federal “alliance”

•Aug 1995     Creation of the Alaska Federal Health Care Partnership (AFHCP)

•Jan 1999       Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) joins Partnership

•2001-2002    AFHCAN Project spins off from partnership, 

The first technology initiative of AFHCP was the design and deployment of a telemedicine carts to clinics throughout Alaska, as well as establishing a telemedicine network. The Alaska Federal Health Care Access Network (AFHCAN) project was completed in 2004, when AFHCAN graduated to become a division of our partner organization ANTHC. Since its inception, AFHCAN has grown to provide telemedicine solutions to 273 sites across six states and three nations and is recognized as one of the world’s premier telemedicine networks. For more information go to:http://www.afhcan.org/

• 2002-Present  HTM/ VtC projects are developed

In 2007 AFHCP completed a project 10 year, multi-million dollar Teleradiology Project. A total of 51 tribal and federal facilities received teleradiology equipment and networking capability, providing digital imaging services to some of the most remote areas of the state. The turn-around time for diagnostic interpretation went from 7 to 21 days by mail to within 24 hours and typically same day. Digital processing has greatly increased the image quality. Teleradiology infrastructure allows sharing information between tribal corporations and federal agencies, as well as with private sector healthcare facilities. Over the life of the AFHCP Teleradiology Project, there has been a remarkable cost savings estimated at $500,000, realized from group purchasing, centralized project management and installation, and the development of centralized archiving.