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Cherokee Nation Health System reports January volumes: 40,000 ambulatory visits, 217,745 prescriptions
Summary
Health system representatives reported monthly metrics to the Tribal Council including ambulatory visits, prescription fills, emergency department volume, deliveries, purchase/referred care costs, staff vacancy rates and active construction projects.
Wayne Caldwell, presenting on behalf of Dr. Steve Jones, reported January 2025 activity across Cherokee Nation’s health system to the Tribal Council, including ambulatory care visits, pharmacy volume and construction updates.
Caldwell said the system recorded about 40,000 ambulatory care visits in January and filled 217,745 prescriptions that month. The emergency department at Hastings served 5,417 patients, and the system recorded 84 births in January, he said. Purchase-referred-care referrals totaled roughly $5,064,622 for the month, with about 14,000 referrals submitted and a 98% approval rate for PRC, Caldwell reported.
Caldwell also gave workforce and records metrics: Cherokee Nation medical staff vacancy was about 4.8% and the vacancy rate across all health professionals was about 3.1%, and the system created 309 new patient charts in January. He briefly noted ongoing construction projects across the health system and said schedules were generally on track but weather can affect timelines.
Council members asked follow-up questions about care coordination for patients from other tribes, the denture program status, availability of patient advocates at clinics, and whether certain OBGYN techniques ("v-notes") were being used. Caldwell said contract health staff facilitate PRC routing and that he would follow up on the denture program and OBGYN practice items.
Most comments from councilors were expressions of gratitude or requests for additional written information and follow-up; no formal council action was taken on the metrics report.
