Newsroom

PALMER – Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is home to the only Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber in the state of Alaska – a fact that quite possibly saved Palmer resident Janette Melton’s entire foot after she injured it in a minor accident last May. After 40 treatments of hyperbaric therapy, Melton, 85, has been declared out of the woods by her doctor and is on her way back to participating in her favorite outdoor activities, including walking, hiking and golfing. “I would like to see more awareness of the hyperb... ... Read More

The founder of the world-wide program known as Project SEARCH visited Mat-Su Regional Medical Center last month to present to staff the latest on the educational and professional advancement internship for people with developmental disabilities. Mat-Su Regional was the first organization in the state to partner with Project SEARCH to develop a skills-based, immersion education program for disability-challenged young adults. The program is fully integrated in the hospital’s daily operations. Mat-Su launc... ... Read More

PALMER, ALASKA – Mat-Su Regional Medical Center has been honored with an award recognizing their high reliability in the pursuit of patient safety. The hospital was selected as the winner of Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association’s 2019 Patient Safety Award titled “High Reliability: Persevering in the Pursuit of Zero Patient Harm” in late August. The ASHNHA award brings statewide attention to Mat-Su Regional for their exemplary commitment to developing a safer and more reliable health care s... ... Read More

The Magic Yarn Project finished off their third annual Gold Workshop at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center on Saturday, Sept. 7, by making 124 brand-new yarn wigs to send to pediatric cancer patients all over the world. Back in 2014, founder of Magic Yarn, Holly Christensen was inspired to make a wig for a friend’s daughter who was battling cancer. After seeing how much joy the wig brought to this one girl, she posted on Facebook requesting donations of yarn in order to expand her project and the post sprea... ... Read More

On the overcast morning of Wednesday, July 24, the family of Staff Sgt. Chris Enns accompanied their loved one down the hallways of Mat-Su Regional Medical Center to the surgery department where, in front of hundreds of people that had come to the hospital to attend the Hero Walk in Chris’s honor, they said goodbye to their husband, son and brother for the last time. Enns had served three tours in Afghanistan as a medic with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, and had recently been working as a fire... ... Read More

Mat-Su Regional Medical Center recently recognized some of its most dedicated and committed staff with employee awards for 2019. Those awarded were nominated from a pool of 800 employees, who work together in clinical and non-clinical aspects to make the facility of Mat-Su Regional run smoothly. Melissa Vaughan, Lead Surgical Technician, was selected Mat-Su Regional Employee of the Year. At the time of her nomination, Vaughan had completed over 1,361 surgical cases, totaling 285,701 minutes of operating... ... Read More

Family medicine provider Valerie Krozel, M.D., joined the medical staff of Solstice Family Care in Wasilla, on Monday, August 12. With the addition of Krozel, Solstice now has three primary care providers on staff: Barbara Doty, M.D., family medicine with obstetrics and pediatrics, and Paul Forman, M.D., family medicine and pediatrics. Also on staff is Kayleen Hetrick, LPC, who supports patients with mental health needs. An Alaskan by birth, Krozel grew up in Texas and attended medical school in Houston... ... Read More

PALMER, AK – On the morning of Oct. 22, Dr. Shannon Gulley finished scrubbing up in preparation for her first gallbladder removal surgery of the day at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Twenty-two minutes later, she had completed her 100th robotic surgery at the hospital. Gulley reached this noteworthy accomplishment using Mat-Su Regional’s newest surgical technology--a four-armed robot that provides a greater range of motion and extended reach over previous generations of surgical robotics. The hospital ... ... Read More

Ear, nose and throat specialist, Dr. Kevin Jensen joined the Valley medical community on June 18 and will be treating patients at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Jensen, or Dr. J as he prefers to be called, offers a broad spectrum of otolaryngology services, including endoscopic sinus surgery, thyroid surgery, and obstructive sleep apnea surgery. Thanks to his military background, he also has experience in endoscopic Eustachian tube balloon dilation, and is one of the first providers in Alaska to offer ... ... Read More

PALMER – John Houghton, D.O., has joined the medical practice of Mat-Su Women’s Health Specialists in Palmer. Houghton is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology. “Dr. Houghton is a great addition to our medical team,” said practice manager Melissa Redick. “His expertise will be a valuable asset to our growing community of patients.” Houghton relocated from Des Moines, Iowa, where he practiced for 12 years. His first day at Mat-Su Women’s Health Specialists was April 22. Houghton is proficient in a... ... Read More