Collaborating the Midst of Conflict and Competition: The success of the Alaska Breast and Cervical Health Partnership

Background: Alaska is a geographically challenged state with many small rural, remote communities that have unique community and health care needs. Conflict and competition abound between tribal and state entities on health services and health education as these entities compete for the same limited funding. Over a series of years, the Alaska Breast and Cervical Health Partnership has developed into a statewide partnership with membership that includes both state and tribal members and has effectively maneuvered through state and tribal politics and turf battles to offer statewide mammography services, public education, and provider education. Methods: Based on a common goal and through monthly teleconference with annual face to face trainings, the tribal and state partners, non-profit and media partners have been able to discuss, create, fund, and distribute breast and cervical health focused statewide public education and screening campaigns, early detection services and follow-up and provider education. Results: Working with multiple partners allows an increase in local access to mammography screening to women throughout Alaska, increasing screening for women hard to reach due to distance/monetary issues while strengthening the skills of clinical and lay health providers as well as coordination of health services, and data management. Conclusions: The Partnership has allowed for relationship building moving entities from non-speaking competitors to collaborators.