Aurora Health Care Clinic: this clinic is located in Eagle River and specializes in women's health care.

• Author: Cutler, Debbie
• Position: Alaska's 2004 Top Women-Owned Businesses Issue

Ann Carter, an advanced nurse practitioner, was tired of the bureaucracy when she decided to stop working for another Eagle River clinic and open her own six years ago.

That, and she wanted to spend more time with each of her patients.

"I wanted to give good, quality patient care," she said. Thus, Aurora Health Care Clinic, located at 11421 Old Glenn Highway in Eagle River, was born.

"I had no idea what I was getting into when I decided to open my own practice," she recalled. "I had a wonderful mentor who had always encouraged me to do so, Lila McEwen, also an advanced nurse practitioner. Lila was the first ANP to open her solo practice more than 20 years ago here in Eagle River.

"I believe I was somewhat naive, as I just wanted to have my own patients to care for, in my own way. I didn't give as much thought to the details of running a business as I should have. Some of the things I learned as I went along, were, of course, a medical practice is a business. In fact everything regarding a medical practice is a business."

She had to learn to do her own books, pay her own bills, do her own banking, manage all the overhead, take care of payroll and advertising. She learned to use QuickBooks.

"Of course it was all a challenge," Carter said. "Before I started, I had no idea what I was doing. I had a lot of help from my fiancee, Mike Sharp, as he's very computer literate and he's taught me quite a bit."

When she first opened doors, business was slow. Early on, she saw about three to four patients a day, compared to the 12 to 15 a day she sees now. "Each year gets better," she said. "I believe that any time you start a business you have a mental vision that people will really rush to you when you open your doors. It isn't what happens. Unless you are the only show in town. In Eagle River, we have eight other medical practices. Right now we are maxed out. Out of the eight, there are five medical doctors and three nurse practitioners."

Carter's practice is open seven days a week. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. When she first opened on Sundays, she was the only practice in Eagle River to offer that service. Now another practice is open...