Indian Health Service Dedicates New Health Center in Clinton, Oklahoma
The Indian Health Service (IHS), an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, held a formal dedication of the new Clinton Health Center in Clinton, Oklahoma, on March 9, 2007. The clinic officially opened for services on March 23, 2007. This new facility will bring much needed services to American Indians living in the Clinton Service Area, most of whom are members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes.
“This new 58,000-square-foot health center will support a full range of ambulatory care and community health services for residents of the Clinton Service Area,” said Dr. Charles W. Grim, IHS Director. “We at the Indian Health Service are very proud to be partners in this venture and look forward to providing health care services in this impressive new facility.”
The replacement facility will support a full range of technologically advanced medical, dental, and community health services on an ambulatory basis, primarily for residents of the immediate Clinton area. It will provide primary care, pharmacy, laboratory, diagnostic imaging, optometry, audiology, physical therapy, podiatry, behavioral health, dental care, public health nursing, nutrition, health education, and environmental health services.
The new facility consolidated all clinical and administrative services into one building. Incorporated into this facility are system upgrades and new equipment for all departments. New information technology equipment needed to implement the IHS electronic health record system and telemedicine technology capabilities are also integrated in this new facility. The Clinton Health Center replaces 15 structures, including an antiquated hospital.
The design of the building has a special traditional meaning, based on numerous cultural and historical influences. The building’s shape was influenced by the appearance of the traditional winter camp where the Tribe lived seasonally in a sheltered location at Red Rock Canyon, 40 minutes southeast of Clinton. The structure’s façade features several colors of brick laid in patterns to represent the layers of striation and cliffs in Red Rock Canyon and the surrounding area. The landscaping for the project consists of plants and vegetation natural to the area, including autumn sage used by tribal fire keepers, and the orientation of the building was integrally designed for natural light, energy efficiency, and historical significance.
NOTICE TO EDITORS: For additional information on this subject, please contact the IHS Public Affairs Office at 301-443-3593. Additional information about the IHS is available at http://www.ihs.gov and http://info.ihs.gov.
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