Throughout the winter, plenty of people in the country face some troubles when challenging weather makes it tough to get to medical appointments. Sometimes it’s just a matter of braving the cold to make it to a checkup, other times it’s getting through heavy snow in an emergency or for crucial treatments. Alaskans, naturally, face some of the greatest challenges, given the state’s cold climate and expansive land area. Accessing care in Alaska isn’t just a problem of weather; key centers like the Anchorage Native Medical Center simply don’t have enough space to evaluate and treat the patients who travel there. Patients end up reserving about 100 nearby hotel rooms every night. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium is stepping in to help by planning a new 170-room housing facility. The building will be connected to the medical center, and as Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium CEO Roald Helgesen explains, improving access means improving the quality of care.