Native American Healthcare Solution
About Us
Our Team
Founder & Managing Director of Native American Healthcare Solutions
During her 40+ year career in healthcare including 18 years as CEO in Indian Health Service and Tribal Programs, Vida has learned that medicine is ultimately all about people. Patients always come first. Every patient, in every encounter, deserves exceptional care and respect: this is the foundation of the work we do at Native American Healthcare Solutions and NativeArc.
During her nine-year tenure as CEO at the Winslow Indian Health Center, Vida established the first Indian Traditional Medicine Program in the Indian Health Services; successfully integrated complementary medicine in an allopathic clinical setting; and acquired the first mobile medical van in the Navajo Area Indian Health Service for primary health services. During her time at Winslow, Vida’s revolutionary work won her the prestigious American Hospital Association Federal Sector Special Achievement Award for Innovative Leadership.
In the mid 2000’s, Vida was hired as a Turn-Around Specialist/CEO at a tribal health care facility in California on the verge of losing its funding. The turn-around was so extraordinary the California Rural Indian Health Board gave the facility “Clinic of the Year Award,” the first award received in twenty-six years of operations.
During her last 4-years with Indian health Service serving as the Chief Executive Officer at the Gallup Indian Medical Center, Vida engaged her staff to improve the patient experience, using multiple leadership development and communication strategies. Within a two-year period GIMC’s HCAHPS scores increased in 3 domains above the 90thpercentile rate of change (faster than 90% of all hospitals across the nation) One domain improved in the 75th-89thpercentile rate of change and Two domains improved at the 50th-70thpercentile rate of change.
For the past 3 years Vida has been actively involved in a partnership with ArcHealth, PBC., in a joint venture NativeArc, a Locum Tenens staffing agency. NativeArc’s vision is a world where the most vulnerable communities have access to the best health care professionals. We are committing fiercely to reducing health disparities and advancing health equity for our underserved communities.
Sarah Kelly Denson
Sarah is a dedicated Nurse where excellent, high-quality patient care is of utmost priority.
She received her BSN from Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, NC and is a Level
1 trauma certified Nurse. She is currently working in the Emergency Room at the
University of CO Hospital at Memorial Central Level 1 Trauma Center. Sarah is a U.S.
Army Veteran with 8 years as a Nuclear Biological Warfare Specialist, which included two tours in Iraq. Sarah is the recipient of the Daisy Award for extraordinary nurses. Sarah is proud of her Navajo lineage, of being a mother and wife and as a Nurse saving countless lives.
Elaine Alexander
Elaine Alexander, MHA/Ed, BSN, RN, LNC, is retired from Indian Health Service and held various nursing roles in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Oregon. Roles include: Area Nurse Consultant, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Chief Nurse Executive, Nurse Manager, Supervisor, Staff Nurse, Coordinator, Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP), Clinical Practice Coordinator, and Legal Nurse Consultant. She has worked in federal, tribal, and urban Indian health programs, private sector health systems, and in academic settings. She brings vast experience with
program and system improvement, accreditation preparedness, policy analysis, identification of risk issues for the organization’s physicians, and nurses; OIG Compliance training, and executive leadership training. In addition, Elaine is a certified trainer for
Real Colors and assists organizations improve communication, team building, and leadership skills. Elaine is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.