Indian Health Service Selects New Oklahoma City Area Director
Mr. John Daugherty, Jr., a member of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, has been selected as the Area Director for the Indian Health Service (IHS) Oklahoma City Area. Dr. Charles W. Grim, the Director of the IHS, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, announced Mr. Daugherty’s appointment after a selection process that included Tribal and Urban Indian representation and recommendations.
“Mr. Daugherty’s impressive background of more than 25 years of service to the Tribes and Urban Indian programs of the Oklahoma City Area ensures that he will not only lead the Area well, but that his contributions as Area Director of our largest service population will have a national influence on the future of Indian health,” stated Dr. Grim. “Mr. Daugherty has demonstrated his ability as a leader, effective manager, and a true advocate for Indian people and Indian programs.”
Mr. Daugherty began his career with the IHS in 1979 as Facility Director for the Miami Indian Health Center. In June 1989 he was selected as the Assistant Hospital Administrative Officer for the Claremore Indian Hospital and in 1990 was promoted to the position of Hospital Administrative Officer. He subsequently served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Claremore Indian Hospital from 1993 to 2002. Since October 2002 he has served in his current position as the Oklahoma City Associate Area Director for Field Operations and Managed Care.
Mr. Daugherty will begin his tenure as the Area Director on November 29, 2004, following the transition from his current position.
As Director for the Oklahoma City Area, Mr. Daugherty will be responsible for a comprehensive health program serving the largest IHS service population in the United States, extending health care to nearly 300,000 American Indians in Oklahoma, Kansas, and portions of Texas and southern Nebraska. These health services are provided through a network of 6 hospitals and 39 outpatient health centers administered through both Federal and Tribal health delivery systems, as well as providing support to 4 Urban Indian programs.
Mr. Daugherty holds a B.S. degree in business administration and a B.A. degree in social services from the Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
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