by Madisyn Parker. Since I am a physician who specializes in maternity care and lives and works in Alaska, I thought I would share some thoughts based upon personal experience.
Geographically, Alaska is the largest state in the country. According to government data, there are some 162 communities in Alaska organized as a city or borough. In addition, there are at least 229 Alaska Native villages recognized by the federal government. Health care for anyone, especially for mothers and children, is not an easy thing to perform in Alaska.
There is a vast system of health care that funnels patients to larger and more complex hospitals and health care facilities in the state. For example, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region is made up of 75,000 square miles, with a population of more than 23,000 people who live among 58 rural communities not connected by road.