WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Indian Health Service (IHS) has announced the appointment of Cmdr. Pamela Detsoi-Smiley as CEO of the Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) in New Mexico. The center is located on the border of the Navajo Reservation and is one of the largest IHS facilities, serving a user population of over 42,000.
Detsoi-Smiley, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and a U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officer, has served as the Acting CEO at GIMC since November 2021. She has 25 years of experience working in health care within IHS, including leadership roles in both nursing and administration.
“I appreciate Commander Detsoi-Smiley’s continued commitment and dedication to the IHS mission,” said IHS Director Roselyn Tso. “Her wealth of knowledge and experience will positively impact the patients served at the Gallup Indian Medical Center.”
“The Gallup Indian Medical Center has one of the busiest workloads across all IHS facilities, and it is critical to have a strong leader driving our efforts,” said Acting IHS Navajo Area Director Capt. Brian K. Johnson. “We are excited to continue working with Commander Detsoi-Smiley on improving the services provided to Navajo Area patients.”
“I was born and raised in the Gallup area, so I appreciate the opportunity to continue making a positive impact in our communities,” said Detsoi-Smiley. “I look forward to continuing our efforts to provide quality, comprehensive health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives in and around Gallup.”
Before serving as Acting CEO at GIMC, Cmdr. Detsoi-Smiley served as the Chief Nurse Executive and the Acting CEO at the Crownpoint Service Unit, which serves a population of approximately 20,000 Navajo people.
The Gallup Indian Medical Center is a 99-bed hospital in Gallup, NM, with the largest staff of all IHS Navajo Area facilities. Clinical specialties at GIMC include internal medicine, cardiology, anesthesia, OB/GYN, general surgery, orthopedics, ophthalmology, ENT, radiology, pathology, pediatrics, psychiatry, emergency medicine, and urology.
The IHS Navajo Area provides health care services to a user population of over 244,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives on and near the Navajo Nation, one of the largest Indian reservations in the United States. The Navajo Nation consists of more than 25,000 contiguous sq. mi. and three satellite communities, and extends into portions of the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
