Cherokee Nation celebrates historic transfer of Claremore Indian Hospital operations

CLAREMORE, Okla. - Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, and other tribal leaders joined members of the Claremore community Wednesday to celebrate a historic milestone in tribal self-determination as Cherokee Nation officially assumed operations of the former Claremore Indian Hospital from the Indian Health Service.

The celebration marked the culmination of more than a year of negotiations and planning, making the Claremore facility the final federally operated Indian Health Service center within the 7,000-square-mile Cherokee Nation Reservation to transition to tribal operation. The Claremore Outpatient and Emergency Health Center will now be integrated into Cherokee Nation's health system, which delivers more than 2 million patient visits annually across 11 health facilities.

"This is a proud day for Cherokee Nation and for all Native people who depend on this facility for their health care," Chief Hoskin said. "After decades of federal underfunding and neglect, we are taking responsibility for delivering the world-class care our people deserve. With this transition, we're not just changing who manages this health center - we're fundamentally improving the quality, safety, and scope of services available to patients in the Claremore community. This is what self-determination looks like in action."

The transfer comes as Cherokee Nation has authorized $255.5 million into assuming Claremore operations, committing $11 million in immediate improvements to bring the existing facility up to Cherokee Nation health standards while construction is planned for a new $244 million state-of-the-art replacement facility that is scheduled to open in 2027. In June, Chief Hoskin signed the Cherokee Nation Claremore Outpatient and Emergency Health Center Act of 2025.

"If we are going to deliver health care that meets our high standards of care, we must ensure Native people can come to Claremore and receive the quality of care that Cherokee Nation provides through its operations of numerous existing health centers across the Cherokee Nation Reservation," Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said. "This partnership reflects our shared commitment to place decisions about health care where they belong: in the hands of tribal nations. For Cherokee Nation, health care is about more than treating illness; it is about promoting wellness, extending life, and sustaining sovereignty."

The new facility will feature an advanced emergency department, wellness center, and expanded outpatient services. Cherokee Nation has also established partnerships to ensure seamless care for patients, including an agreement with Hillcrest Hospital Claremore to provide labor and delivery and OB services for expectant mothers.

Cherokee Nation Speaker of the Council Johnny Jack Kidwell emphasized the legislative branch's support for the historic transition.

"The Council has worked hand-in-hand with the administration to ensure this transition strengthens healthcare for our people," Speaker Kidwell said. "Today we celebrate not just the assumption of a facility, but the realization of our tribe's vision for comprehensive, culturally appropriate health services. This is about honoring our responsibility to current and future generations of Cherokee citizens and all Native people who call this region home."

District 14 Councilor Kevin Easley Jr., who served as lead sponsor of the legislation authorizing the new facility, highlighted the transformational impact on the community.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era in health care for the Claremore community," Councilor Easley said. "The Council has stood firmly behind this transition because we know it will bring meaningful improvements to the lives of patients and their families. We're investing a quarter of a billion dollars in a facility that will serve generations to come, and we're doing it because Cherokee Nation has the resources, the expertise, and the commitment to deliver exceptional care. This is a historic day for Claremore."

Cherokee Nation also gave hiring preference to Claremore Indian Hospital employees. Of the Claremore employees who reapplied, 80% were offered positions.

The ceremonial transfer agreement was signed in September by Chief Hoskin and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during an HHS Secretary's Tribal Advisory Committee meeting on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

The Claremore facility transition is part of Cherokee Nation's broader expansion of its health care infrastructure across the reservation. In early 2026, Cherokee Nation will open the new six-story, $470 million W.W. Hastings Hospital in Tahlequah, representing the largest health care capital investment in tribal history. The tribe recently opened the new 109,000-square-foot, $85 million Amo Health Center in Salina in August, providing expanded primary care and specialty services to patients in the region. Additionally, Cherokee Nation is investing $73 million in improvements via the behavioral health capital fund under the Public Health and Wellness Fund Act, including a state-of-the-art adult residential treatment center in Tahlequah.

Cherokee Nation operates the largest tribal health care system in the country. In the clinical setting, the system serves over 100,000 patients throughout its 11 health care facilities. These include nine tribal health centers, one employee health center and one tribal hospital. Additionally, CNHS offers a wide array of community, social, and mental health programs such as behavioral health, community health nursing, cancer prevention, diabetes prevention, Women Infants and Children, emergency medical services, environmental health, health research, emergency and risk management, clinical quality improvement, and quality management. CNHS administers programs to deliver effective patient care, coordinate services, manage IT, and oversee facilities. The departments addressed above include, but are not limited to, Health IT, Health Privacy and Compliance, and Institutional Review Board (IRB), Research, and Health Finance.