Healthcare is something we often take for granted. But in Alaska, receiving care for the specialized needs of the Alaskan Native and American Indian people living in the state can be challenging.
The Alaskan Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) is a non-profit Tribal Health organization dedicated to helping provide medical services, health education, disease and injury prevention, and rural water and sewer construction. Their vision of Alaska Native people are the healthiest people in the world is one that we’re excited to be a part of.
To help their organization create a focused strategic plan, we recently held a three day planning retreat with the 30 members of the strategic advisory council. This allowed us to cover everything from strategic direction, mission, vision, and strategic workshops to discussions focused on what’s working, what isn’t, and what can be improved.
Facilitating a large group comes with its own set of challenges, but we always marvel at the outcomes and perspective a large group brings. Each planning team member brings a unique perspective and insight into the planning process that can improve the health services for the Alaskan Native and American Indian people.
The icing on the cake was the at the end of the planning retreat where the entire group closed with a traditional Alaskan Native song. It was a good reminder how our work has an impact on the health and longevity of the community ANTHC serves.