TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner called on the tribe’s legislative branch to support taking over the federally run Claremore Indian Hospital by late 2025.
A resolution supporting compacting of the facility comes on the heels of Chief’s Hoskin’s August 31 State of the Nation address in which he called for the tribe to “take ownership and control of the Claremore Indian Hospital by the end of 2025.”
The federal government has operated the in patient and outpatient Claremore Service Unit, commonly known as the Claremore Indian Hospital, since 1930.
Indian Health Service, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, serves all citizens of federally recognized tribes at the facility, located in Claremore.
“At Cherokee Nation our goal is to build a world class system of wellness for the Cherokee people,” said Chief Hoskin. “Given our progress we have made and our capacity to operate, it makes sense to assume operations and ownership of the Claremore Service Unit."
Cherokee Nation operates the largest tribal health care system in Indian Country, which handles approximately 2 million patient visits per year across nine health centers, W.W. Hastings Hospital, a youth drug and alcohol treatment center and employee health center.
The tribe is also in the midst of a massive expansion of its health system, building a $450 million new hospital in Tahlequah to replace W.W. Hastings and double its patient capacity, an $85 million outpatient facility in Salina to replace the outpatient health clinic and triple capacity there, a $25 million adult drug treatment facility in Tahlequah and multi-million-dollar wellness centers in Stilwell and Tahlequah.
“Our track record for providing health care is well established and we will bring that high standard to Claremore,” said Deputy Chief Warner. “We strive for excellence, from facilities to workforce support and development, to our main focus, which is putting patients first.”
Council member Kevin Easley Jr., of Claremore, the lead sponsor of the Council resolution supporting Chief Hoskin to “compact” all “programs, services, functions and activities” at the facility, praised the effort.
“The Claremore Service Unit workforce is superb and the entire team there works hard to deliver great care,” said Councilor Easley. “However, Claremore operates in a federally run system that, quite simply, is not as resourced as it could be and is less effective than Cherokee Nation which is why this change makes sense.”
Councilor Danny Callison, of Pryor, also expressed support for the move.
“Health care for Native Americans is best delivered when Native Americans are in control of it,” said Councilor Callison. “I see a future in which Claremore’s quality improves, access improves, and facilities improve under Cherokee Nation leadership.”
The Council of the Cherokee Nation’s Health Committee will hear the resolution September 16 and the full council could approve the measure later that day.
Upon council approval, Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Warner will assemble a team of its health leadership to meet with IHS officials to discuss the tribe’s effort for taking over operations of the Claremore Service Unit or Claremore Indian Hospital.
Chief Hoskin pledged to keep the Claremore Service Unit workforce, as well as the general public, informed as the tribe aims to assume operations as early as Oct. 1, 2025.