Cherokee Nation Claremore Health Center Breaks Ground On $400M Facility
Cherokee Nation Claremore Health Center Breaks Ground On $400 Million Facility
The Cherokee Nation Claremore Health Center is moving forward after Tribal leaders broke ground Tuesday on a new $400 million outpatient and emergency care facility designed to significantly expand health care services in northeastern Oklahoma.
The four-story facility will be built near Route 66 and West Country Club Road in Claremore and is expected to open in late 2028. The project will eventually replace services provided at the aging Claremore Indian Hospital while giving the Cherokee Nation additional space to expand medical care as patient demand grows.
Cherokee Nation Claremore Health Center Investment Grows To $400 Million
The project has expanded significantly since the Cherokee Nation first announced plans for a new Claremore facility.
The original investment was approximately $255.5 million, but increasing patient numbers and demand for additional services prompted Tribal leaders to increase the project to $400 million.
The Cherokee Nation Health Services operates the largest tribally operated health care system in the United States, providing services across northeastern Oklahoma.
Plans have also grown from an originally proposed two-story building to a four-story health center. The larger design gives the Nation room for future expansion, including the possibility of adding inpatient services.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. has made expansion of the Tribe's health care system a major focus as Cherokee Nation health facilities serve growing numbers of patients.
New Facility Will Replace Aging Claremore Hospital
The new health center will ultimately replace the Claremore Indian Hospital, which opened in 1978 and was operated for decades by the federal Indian Health Service.
The Cherokee Nation formally assumed operations of the Claremore facility in October 2025. The Indian Health Service has historically provided federal health services at the Claremore location for eligible American Indian and Alaska Native patients throughout the region.
Rather than waiting for the replacement facility to open, the Cherokee Nation has invested approximately $11 million in improvements to the existing hospital to maintain and strengthen patient care during construction.
The Tribe also secured a larger site for the new facility near Route 66 and West Country Club Road, providing more space for the expanded project and future development.
New Health Center Expected To Open In Late 2028
Construction is expected to continue for more than two years, with the new facility currently scheduled to begin serving patients in late 2028.
The project is part of a much broader Cherokee Nation investment in health care infrastructure. Information about existing hospitals, outpatient centers and other medical services is available through the Cherokee Nation Health Services locations directory as the Nation continues expanding its health system.
The new Claremore facility is being designed primarily for outpatient and emergency care, while its four-story configuration provides flexibility for additional services as regional needs change.
Once completed, the Cherokee Nation Claremore Health Center will represent a $400 million investment in the Tribe's health care system and provide a modern replacement for a Claremore facility that has served Native patients for nearly half a century.
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