Options mulled for hospital

April 17, 2005

DAWN De BUSK/Frontiersman reporter

A high-quality health-care-field college complete with dorms and cafeteria could be housed in the Valley Hospital building after Mat-Su Regional Medical Center starts operating. Such an educational facility could churn out skilled health-care professionals who would work and live in Alaska.

That's the pet project of Mat-Su Assembly Member Bill Allen, and it's an idea that's in line with the borough's stance to promote the Valley as a learning environment. The concept also appeals to hospital spokesperson Elizabeth Ripley.

"Ideally, we'd like to sell or lease the building to a company that offers health-care services," Ripley said.

Personnel from the Alaska State Court House in Palmer and North Star Behavioral Health System have toured the hospital building and eyed the possibility of moving in once it's vacated, but no concrete plans have surfaced.

"We don't have any contract in the wings," said Ripley, adding that she's looked at many options. She said she favors selling or leasing to a company in the health-care field.

"There's quite a few services in our community that were missing: Long-term care, rehabilitation and adolescent psychiatry," Ripley said.

Allen said creating a health-care-services college would address the shortage of health-care workers in the state.

"We could train Alaskans for these jobs," Allen said.

He recalled that Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage spends about $10 million to import health-care professionals, while Fairbanks Memorial Hospital & Denali Center shell out $3 to $4 million recruiting employees from outside Alaska.

On his own time, Allen met with University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton, Providence Alaska Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Al Parish and people with the hospital in Fairbanks to discuss the feasibility of a health-care-services educational system.

"There appears to be some interest. If it were integrated with the University of Alaska system or stands alone, that question hasn't been answered," Allen said. "Our Mat-Su College is a sleeping giant in terms of what it can do for our local economy."

A educational facility housed in the hospital building makes economic sense to Allen. The teaching staff as well as the students would bring more dollars into the Valley.

Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is currently under construction near the intersection of the Parks Highway and Trunk Road. Most likely, the new building will be completed in winter 2005-2006. Valley Hospital is located in Palmer at 515 E. Dahlia Ave.