SEARHC Expands Access to Specialty Care with New Procedure Clinic

Since then, SEARHC has been working to address these gaps. Through direct hiring of specialists and expanding collaboration with strategic partners such as Alaska Native Medical Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Swedish Health Services, SEARHC has more than doubled its specialty service offerings in the past three years. The new procedure clinic marks the next step in the journey.

A New Space for Specialty Care

The clinic, located just down the hill from SEARHC’s Ethel Lund Medical Center in Juneau, is designed to provide a variety of services for medically stable patients, offering a safe, well-equipped environment for procedures that do not require an operating room but benefit from the controlled setting and specially trained staff of a dedicated procedure space. The clinic includes two modern, fully equipped procedure rooms, two exam rooms, and a sterile processing area to ensure the highest level of care and safety.

This facility will allow specialists in gynecology, general surgery, urology, orthopedics, podiatry, dentistry, and others to perform select procedures in a convenient, community-based, outpatient setting.

“Our goal is to bring the highest standard of care to Southeast Alaska while ensuring that patients can access these services locally,” says Dr. Cate Buley, senior vice president and chief medical officer for SEARHC. “This procedure clinic represents a significant advancement for our community and provides an alternative to traveling to larger cities like Seattle or Anchorage for specialty care.”

A Community-Centered Approach

The procedure clinic is not only a response to a demonstrated need but also a reflection of SEARHC’s commitment to providing patient-centered, high-quality care closer to home. By reducing the burden of travel, the procedure clinic enables patients to stay within or nearer to their home communities and remain connected to their families and support systems during treatment and recovery.

“Specialized healthcare is essential to ensuring the well-being of our community. The new procedure clinic is a direct response to that need,” says Charles Clement, president and CEO for SEARHC. “We are proud to be building this capacity in our region and continuing our work to ensure Southeast Alaskans receive the best care possible in our communities.”

Established in 1975, SEARHC is one of the largest Native-run healthcare organizations in the United States. Operating as an independent and nonprofit health consortium, SEARHC provides a comprehensive range of health-related services, including primary, urgent, and specialty medical care, dental services, behavioral health support, wellness programs, optometry services, and more. It serves twenty-six communities across Southeast.