2026 Innovation in Patient Safety & Quality Award: Patient Assistance Program at Providence Alaska

AHHA is honored to present the 2026 Innovation in Patient Safety & Quality Award in recognition of the Patient Assistance Program across Providence Alaska.

When a patient is in the middle of a medical crisis, it’s imperative that they get the immediate medical treatment needed to heal. Yet, the road to recovery can sometimes be hindered when basic daily needs are not met. The Patient Assistance Program at Providence Alaska addresses these often overlooked critical details that can make the difference between just surviving and thriving – last year, 2,935 patients and families began their healing journey with the support of this program.

Funded through the Providence Alaska Foundation, the Patient Assistance Program was founded under the leadership of Dr. Richard Mandsager—a longtime Providence leader who recognized a gap in care that left poor and vulnerable patients at risk. The program’s current operations manager, Emily Holman from Alaska Providence Foundation, works closely with Kara Casanova, care manager for Providence Alaska Medical Center (PAMC) Case Management, and Brenda Franz, Senior Director of Nursing (PAMC) to lead integrated efforts across the facility.

The program funds basic immediate needs following hospital discharge that are typically outside traditional care plans, yet critical for recovery. Examples include covering the cost of a prescription after a patient is discharged from the hospital; purchasing a patient’s ferry passage fee to return to their remote community; having a wheelchair ramp installed at a patient’s home; and providing a new mom with a Pack-and-Play crib so her baby has a safe place to sleep. All these first steps in care help to set up newly discharged patients for successful recoveries.

Since it’s founding 10 years ago, the Patient Assistance Program has expanded and evolved to better serve Alaskans in need. While it started as an Anchorage-based program, it now serves the entire state. Team members have streamlined internal processes to make resources, like hospital cafeteria vouchers, easier to access. Small and large, these changes make a big difference in the lives of patients, easing their way during an otherwise challenging time.