Alaska's only pediatric specialty center — Providence Alaska Children's Hospital (Anchorage) — offers nephrology via visiting specialists one week per month. It is a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center and Alaska's only pediatric oncology program, but ongoing dialysis and transplant require travel to the mainland. Seattle Children's Hospital (Seattle, WA) is the primary referral destination — 1,450 air miles from Anchorage (3.5-hour flight) — and has outreach programs explicitly serving Alaska families. Alaska Native and rural bush communities face additional barriers: even reaching Anchorage requires a bush plane flight for many families. Hand-curated and independently verified.
Critical Limitation
Pediatric nephrology in Alaska: one week per month via visiting specialists
Providence Alaska Children's Hospital brings visiting pediatric nephrologists for one week each month. Families requiring dialysis or transplant evaluation cannot remain in Alaska — they must travel to Seattle (3.5-hour flight) for ongoing care. Plan for extended stays on the mainland. Alaska Medicaid (Denali KidCare) covers medically necessary out-of-state care.
1 wk/mo
Pediatric nephrology available in Alaska — visiting specialists at Providence AK Children's
Providence Alaska
~17K
Adults estimated to have CKD in Alaska
730K population · ~3.0% CKD prevalence
1,450 mi
Anchorage to Seattle — primary mainland referral (3.5 hr flight)
Air miles
Denali KidCare
Alaska Medicaid — dhss.alaska.gov
Alaska DHSS
In Alaska
In-State Pediatric Care
Alaska's only pediatric specialty center — with visiting nephrology one week per month.
Visiting nephrology schedule: Appointments are limited to one week per month. Contact Providence Alaska Children's Hospital well in advance to be added to the visiting specialist schedule. Families requiring more frequent visits — or dialysis — must arrange mainland care.
Mainland Referrals
Out-of-State Centers for Complex Care
Dialysis, transplant, and complex nephrology management require travel to the continental US.
Alaska Native Families
Alaska Native & IHS Resources
Alaska Native communities have elevated diabetes and CKD rates. Rural and bush Alaska communities are accessible only by bush plane — even reaching Anchorage can be a significant journey. IHS and ANTHC (Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium) provide primary kidney care and referral coordination.
IHS / ANTHC coordination is essential. For IHS-enrolled Alaska Native families, authorization through Indian Health Service or ANTHC is required before most non-IHS specialty care. ANTHC provides coordination for complex out-of-state referrals and can help navigate coverage for mainland visits. Begin this process early — simultaneously contact the receiving hospital's social work team.
For Adults
Adult Nephrology
Extended Stays
Lodging for Mainland Trips
Financial Help
Financial Assistance
Alaska Medicaid out-of-state coverage: Denali KidCare covers medically necessary out-of-state care including travel when no equivalent in-state option exists — which applies directly to pediatric dialysis and transplant in Alaska. Confirm coverage with your case manager before booking mainland travel. ANTHC also provides travel coordination support for Alaska Native families.
Education
Kidney Explorers in Alaska
Request Kidney Explorers for Your School
Our interactive kidney education module is designed for elementary and middle school students. Ask your school to bring it into the classroom.
If this is a medical emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately.
For acute kidney emergencies in Alaska: go to Providence Alaska Medical Center or your nearest ER. After stabilization, contact your mainland nephrology team for guidance on transfer or next steps.
nephraware