Guiding Principles and Core Philosophies
Quality healthcare requires quality relationships. Integrating our services and focusing on the relationship between the client, their family and those who provide them care will serve to create long term relationships. It is in these long-term relationships that trust develops, communication opens, knowledge grows and healing takes place.
Quality healthcare also requires a quality working environment. We commit ourselves to creating healthy working conditions that support a sense of family within the organization and allow our staff to provide quality care. Everyone at UIHS accepts the responsibility for fostering an organizational culture that promotes teamwork and encourages us to care for ourselves and each other.

Our Guiding Principles
Traditionally Driven
Cultural values and traditions guide the planning and implementation of services.
Client-Centered
Care is provided in a way that works best for our clients.
Client Empowerment
Clients and their families are empowered to become active participants in their care.
Accessible
Access to care is optimized and waiting time minimized.
Communication
Communication is respectful, direct and open, allowing mutual decision making between clients, staff, sites, management and the Board of Directors.
Teamwork
We plan and act as an integrated team to care for our clients and community.
Population-Based
The community’s greatest needs direct what services we provide and how we provide them.
Prevention-Focused
Prevention, education and health promotion is our focus in the attainment of wellness.
American Indian Staff Development
We commit ourselves to recruiting, training and retaining American Indian Staff.
Accountable
We hold ourselves and each other accountable for supporting the vision and mission, for following through and for correcting problems as they arise.
Efficient
We efficiently manage our resources, energy and time.
Core Philosophies
Ko’lha koom’ ma
(Yurok – working together)
We honor the dignity of every person. We value working together with the individual, the family and the community. By sharing our strengths and resources we bring wellness to ourselves, our community and our world.
May gay tolh kway
(Yurok – a healing place)
We strive to provide the best healthcare services in an environment that is welcoming, healing and nurturing for all. We hire qualified staff and commit ourselves to recruiting American Indians at all levels. We value every staff member and support the development of each employee’s potential while optimizing their skills and contributions.
Ghes na’ dvn
(Tolowa – well place)
We value caring for the whole person. We focus our resources on the promotion of health and prevention of illness. We recognize that social environmental, cultural, spiritual and economic wellness is vital for the overall health of our community and organization; we support and promote actions that bring these elements into balance.