Health Services

Community Health Aides and Practitioners

Community Health Aides (CHAs) and Practitioners (CHPs) are on the front lines of rural health services. They provide direct medical care in the villages, as well as education and preventive services. Aides and practitioners are on call 24 hours a day and provide indispensable support to Chugachmiut programs, including Diabetes Prevention, Behavioral Health, and Regional Public Safety.

Mid-Level Providers

Physician assistants (PAs) and a medical assistant (MA) are based at the Chugachmiut Regional Health Center and travel throughout the region to provide care in areas that our health aides cannot. PAs are formally trained and certified to provide diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic services as designated by a licensed physician. Working as members of the health care team, PAs can diagnose illness and disease, examine and treat patients, instruct and counsel patients, order and interpret lab tests and X-rays, and prescribe medications.

MAs are certified to take medical histories, explain treatment procedures to patients, assist a physician during exams, perform certain laboratory tests, instruct patients about medications and special diets, authorize prescription refills as directed, draw blood, and take electrocardiograms.

Itinerant Providers

Chugachmiut employs certified CHPs and mid-level practitioners to augment permanent staff in our clinics. They are oriented to our clinics, trained in electronic health records, and familiar with all policies and procedures. Itinerant providers fill in at clinics when our primary health aides are on personal leave, attending conferences, or enrolled in training or certification classes.