Cherokee Nation Plans To Expand Health Care With Claremore Hospital Takeover

The Cherokee Nation is working to expand its healthcare presence in the Claremore community. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. says Claremore Indian Hospital is the last Native American health care facility in the region that the Cherokee Nation does not operate. He says the tribe has plans to take over the facility.

The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council received unanimous support to work toward taking over the hospital to improve its operations.

“The workforce as you can imagine have some degree of anxiety. These just aren’t people that have a calling to serve native people in healthcare this is what they do for a living this is their livelihood. And so naturally they have questions and concerns about their jobs,” Chief Hoskin said.

Chief Hoskin says the hospital is underfunded and their leadership has proven to be transformative. He adds that the Cherokee Nation prioritizes health care infrastructure, with millions of dollars invested in clinics, hospitals, and behavioral health and drug treatment.

“If someone goes to Hastings Hospital today, which we took over from IHS about 15 years ago, there’s been a vast improvement in efficiency, in access, in quality of the facility, and it’s still an older facility, which is why we’re building a new hospital,” Chief Hoskin said.

The chief also notes that the tribe acquiring the hospital would have a significant economic impact on the area. The Cherokee Nation’s goal is for the tribe to take over the facility by the end of next year.