Articles

Sept. 23, 2022

Surgical techs vital to successful surgeries

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — It’s a common scene in movies and television – a surgeon stands over a patient focused on the surgery being performed, sticks out a gloved hand and without looking up asks for scissors, forceps, or suction. Across from the surgeon an unknown medical assistant, picks up the instrument being called for and efficiently places it in the surgeon’s outreached hand.

April 18, 2022

Mother's Meals make for memorable first dinner

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — Bassett Army Community Hospital Nutrition Care Division is aiming to make the first meal, as a family, special for patients who have given birth at the hospital. With the delivery of Mother’s Meals to three patients April 4, three months of planning and research brought the idea to life.

April 18, 2022

Prenatal care centered on you

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — Participants in Bassett Army Community Hospital's first Centering Pregnancy group pose for a picture during a reunion in January. Centering Pregnancy, a program introduced at Bassett ACH in 2021, brings together a small group of eight to 10 women for their prenatal care. The women meet monthly for a two-hour group appointment that then allows time for each of them to meet individually with the provider

March 9, 2022

Medical surge nurse received Ruth Gardiner Award

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — Capt. Laura Hartford, a medical-surgical nurse assigned to the multi-service unit at Bassett Army Community Hospital, received the Ruth Gardiner Award for Medical Department Activity – Alaska for her nursing and leadership abilities

Jan. 26, 2022

Goal setting: achieving nutrition goals

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — Ringing in the New Year often means ringing in a new set of resolutions. Many resolutions include goals related to nutrition and fitness such as “I want to eat healthier” or “I want to lose weight”. While these goals are well intended, they can be even better by turning them into SMART goals.

Jan. 26, 2022

Goal setting: achieving nutrition goals

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — Ringing in the New Year often means ringing in a new set of resolutions. Many resolutions include goals related to nutrition and fitness such as “I want to eat healthier” or “I want to lose weight”. While these goals are well intended, they can be even better by turning them into SMART goals.

Oct. 22, 2021

Virtual appointment meets patient's needs

FT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - — At 40 weeks pregnant, when Raini Fitch began feeling the signs of a urinary tract infection, she knew she needed medical care, but, with an 18-month-old daughter and no childcare to speak of, Fitch did not want to go to the emergency room, especially for a non-emergency issue.

June 22, 2021

Care enough to call

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — In May, Bassett Army Community Hospital had 463 appointments go unused due to patient no-shows – individuals who miss or are more than 15 minutes late without calling to cancel or reschedule. This number equates to just over 23 appointments each day.

May 26, 2021

Lozano: The cavalry is coming

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — In October 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) reported over 80% of the boroughs in Alaska, as have staffing shortages in primary care. Medical Department-Activity Alaska and its beneficiaries have also felt the strain of shortages.

Feb. 22, 2021

Beyond the Medicine: Patient Travel

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — The patient travel office, just one piece of the Patient Administration Division, works with providers, the MEDDAC-AK referral office, resource management and SATO Travel to arrange travel for approximately 1,700 patients each year.