The University of New Mexico Hospital has served the state's pueblos, tribes and Native nations since its inception. UNMH will continue to honor that commitment by adding a second Native American Health Services (NAHS) office on Level I of the Critical Care Tower (CCT).
UNMH has shared a special relationship with Native Americans since 1952, when land adjacent to the Albuquerque Indian Hospital was dedicated for construction of the new Bernalillo County Indian Hospital. That facility has grown over the years and is today UNMH.
“NAHS having a new office in the tower will allow us to be more accessible to Native Americans as they come into the hospital,” said Fabián Armijo, executive director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) at UNMH.
Tahnee Pecos, manager of Native American Health Services at UNMH, couldn’t agree more.
“We are really excited about expanding our services,” Pecos said. “By having a larger presence across our campus, we will be more visible to Native American patients, the Indian Health Service and tribal leadership.”
NAHS was established in 2006 and was restructured under DE&I in 2021. The NAHS team focuses on facilitating the care of Native Americans by serving as patient care coordinators and community liaisons.
From managing appointments and rounding on inpatients to participating in health-related events in tribal communities, this versatile team passionately advocates for Native American patients and their families.
The CCT will be home to the second NAHS office at UNMH and will benefit from additional physical space. This larger, multipurpose area will provide Pecos and her team more opportunities for service and advocacy.
“If tribal leadership wants to come for a visit, we can host them for a meeting in our new conference room,” she said. “The new lobby can accommodate families. They can make phone calls, rest before their appointments, or just chat for a few minutes. If we have that kind of visibility, individuals will feel more welcome.”
In addition, having NAHS staff housed in two areas of the hospital will allow them to better serve visitors across the hospital platforms.
Pecos sees the expanded NAHS presence as an opportunity to become even more involved in the care of Native American patients and their loved ones.
Our goal is to implement a process where we will be on the inpatient floors every day, greeting and supporting patients during their hospital stay. That will help provide awareness for what NAHS can provide to our community.
“Our goal is to implement a process where we will be on the inpatient floors every day, greeting and supporting patients during their hospital stay,” Pecos said. “That will help provide awareness for what NAHS can provide to our community.”
In the CCT, that process could look like NAHS staff visiting patients in the emergency room or comforting families in the intensive care unit.
The hospital’s identity is historically defined by the relationship with New Mexico’s Native American communities. Today, UNMH is privileged to continue that unique collaboration by caring for the people who have inhabited this land since time immemorial.
The CCT is just one piece that will help this legacy endure for generations to come.
“NAHS is a part of diversity,” Armijo said. “It’s a part of who we are as a state, as a hospital, as an institution. We are really proud of that.”
Patients or family members can reach UNM Hospital’s Native American Health Services at (505) 272-1612 or toll-free (888) 782-1612.
To learn more, visit https://unmhealth.org/locations/tower.html.
