The health care centers that make up the Norton Sound Health Corporation are located in the Bering Strait region, a 44,000 square-mile section of northwestern Alaska. The Bering Strait region has 9,492 residents, according to 2010 US Census Bureau report. About 81 percent are Alaska Native and fall into three distinct linguistic and cultural groups: Inupiat, Central Yup’ik, and Siberian Yupik.
The only full-service hospital for the region, Norton Sound Regional Hospital, is located in Nome. The population of Nome is fairly evenly split between Natives and non-Natives.
Populations of the neighboring villages are primarily Native. The village clinics are staffed with Community Health Aide/Practitioners, Mid-level Providers and Dental Health Aide Therapists.
