TAHLEQUAH, OK – Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. has signed legislation authorizing $255.5 million to construct a new outpatient and emergency health center in Claremore. The move supports the tribe’s plan to assume operations of the aging Claremore Indian Hospital in October 2025.
The new facility, expected to open in 2027, will feature outpatient care, emergency services, and a wellness center, with future potential for inpatient expansion. The Cherokee Nation will also invest $11 million in the existing hospital to maintain operations during the transition.
Chief Hoskin cited longstanding neglect by the federal Indian Health Service (IHS), calling the current facility unsafe and outdated. The tribe plans to retain nearly all of the 397 current employees, offering jobs first to existing staff.
The legislation includes a biennial review of inpatient needs and initiates design planning for the new center, pending final agreement with IHS. Once assumed, the Cherokee Nation will operate the existing facility at 101 S. Moore Avenue until the new center is completed.
Cherokee Nation operates the largest tribal health system in the U.S., with more than 2 million patient visits annually across 11 facilities.
