Copyright © 2005 NLThomas
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News from the Cherokee Nation, OK
Copyright © 2005 CNO
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The Cherokee Nation will build an 82,000-square foot clinic in Muskogee, Principal Chief Chad Smith announced today.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith addresses the audience at a recent news conference announcing the expansion of the Cherokee Nation Health Clinic in Muskogee. 
The clinic will be a joint venture between the Cherokee Nation and the Indian Health Service (IHS). The Cherokee Nation will pay construction costs, which could total as much as $20 million, and the IHS will pay for the continued operation of the facility, which could amount to an additional $17 million per year.
The new Muskogee clinic is designed to reduce the burden on other Indian Health Service facilities, especially Hastings Indian Hospital in Tahlequah, Claremore Indian Hospital and the Cherokee Nation's Redbird Smith Clinic in Sallisaw.
"This is a huge jump forward for the quality of health care for our citizens," Smith said. "It affects not just Muskogee, but every community in northeastern Oklahoma that has an IHS facility or a Cherokee Nation clinic, because once it opens, it will greatly decrease the overcrowding at facilities like Hastings, which sometimes has more patients than it can handle."
Currently, the Cherokee Nation Muskogee Clinic serves only women and children. The new Muskogee clinic will offer a wide range of new out-patient medical services, like family medicine, a dental clinic, an optometry clinic and a pharmacy. It will also provide x-ray, physical therapy and behavioral health services.
"We've worked on this for years and years," said Don Garvin, who represents Muskogee, McIntosh and Wagoner counties on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council. "This is a godsend for the Cherokees and other Native Americans in the area. One of the biggest benefits is that people won't have to drive all the way to Tahlequah or Claremore. This new clinic will be a big improvement."
The Cherokee Nation intends to construct the facility on land the Nation owns in Muskogee on Hancock street east of York, within the Cherokee Nation's jurisdiction.
Smith credited the Cherokee Nation's Washington D.C. office, led by Casey Ross-Petherick, for helping work out the agreement with IHS. Also instrumental in getting the joint venture finalized were Chris Walker, senior director for health policy, planning and development and Shawn Terry, director of strategy for the Cherokee Nation Health Services Group.
"We couldn't have done it without their hard work," said Melissa Gower, group leader for Cherokee Nation's Health Services.
"And of course, so many members of the Tribal Council helped us in Washington D.C. and locally to make this happen," Smith said. "Special credit has to go to Joe Crittenden, who is the chair of the Health Committee, and Don Garvin, who has represented Muskogee so well on the Council and wouldn't take no for an answer through all the years as we have worked to get this clinic."
The Cherokee Nation is in the process of securing financing for the construction of the facility.
"We will be soliciting for design of the building and hope to begin construction in early fall," Gower said. "We hope to be up and running by the end of 2006."
Gower points out that the new Muskogee clinic will be double the size of the Cherokee Nation's largest existing clinic and will employ more than 200 people.
"We want to be good partners in the community," Walker said. "This facility will be an asset to Muskogee by providing health care for residents who were otherwise leaving town to be treated at a Cherokee Nation or IHS facility."
| Related Cherokee Nation contact information: |
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Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org
Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager |
Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org
Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation |