Research & Development
Southcentral Foundation generates and applies research to continuously improve the health of Alaska Native customer-owners — and to share what works with health systems around the world.
2×
Malcolm Baldrige Award winner — highest quality credential in U.S. healthcare
50+
Peer-reviewed publications citing the Nuka System
500+
Health system delegations studying SCF's model since 2000
CBPR
All research requires Alaska Native community partnership and tribal review
Research Focus Areas
Quality Improvement Science
SCF maintains one of the most rigorous internal quality improvement programs in Indian Health. Continuous measurement of clinical outcomes, access metrics, and patient experience drives operational change at every level of the organization.
Integrated Care Effectiveness Research
Peer-reviewed research examining the clinical, operational, and financial outcomes of the Nuka System of Care's integrated care team model — published in journals including NEJM Catalyst, Health Affairs, and JAMA.
Behavioral Health Integration
Research on same-day behavioral health consultation rates, trauma-informed care protocols, and the efficacy of embedded behavioral health in reducing emergency department utilization among Alaska Native populations.
Traditional Healing & Western Medicine
IRB-approved studies examining the co-utilization of traditional Alaska Native healing practices alongside Western clinical care, including patient outcomes, referral patterns, and cultural safety frameworks.
Community-Based Participatory Research
All SCF research follows a CBPR framework — Alaska Native customer-owners are partners in research design, data interpretation, and dissemination. Tribal review processes are required for all studies involving Native peoples.
Workforce & Training Research
Evaluating the effectiveness of SCF's Learning Institute programs, Nuqali immersion experiences, and workforce development pipelines on health outcomes, retention, and organizational performance.
Research done with — not on — our community.
Every study conducted at or in partnership with Southcentral Foundation follows Community-Based Participatory Research principles. Alaska Native customer-owners are not research subjects — they are co-investigators, collaborators, and decision-makers in how their data is collected, analyzed, and used.
All research involving Alaska Native peoples is reviewed by SCF's Tribal Review process prior to any IRB submission, ensuring community sovereignty over health data at every stage.
Recent Research
The Nuka System of Care: An Integrated Model for Alaska Native Health
NEJM Catalyst · 2022
Same-Day Access and Its Impact on Emergency Department Utilization
Health Affairs · 2021
Customer-Owner Governance: A Replicable Model for Tribal Health Systems
JAMA Health Forum · 2023
Integrating Behavioral Health in Primary Care: 10-Year Outcomes
Annals of Family Medicine · 2022
Traditional Healing Co-Utilization in a Tribal Health System
Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing · 2024
Partner with SCF Research.
Academic institutions, health systems, and federal agencies interested in collaborative research are welcome to reach out. All proposals must align with SCF's CBPR principles and receive tribal review clearance.