Indian Health Service and Chickasaw Nation to Sign Joint Venture Agreement and Lease for Newcastle Medical Center

On December 30, Indian Health Service (IHS) Director Roselyn Tso and Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby will sign a joint venture agreement and lease to develop and operate the Newcastle Medical Center in Newcastle, Oklahoma. The project will be constructed in three phases over multiple years.

“I am very pleased the Indian Health Service and Chickasaw Nation have partnered to create and operate the incredible Newcastle Medical Center,” said IHS Director Roselyn Tso. “The Chickasaw Nation has a long and proud history of providing top-tier services to its citizens. I have no doubt this new healthcare facility will do much to further our mission to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level.”

Situated in the outer suburbs of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area, the Newcastle Medical Center will serve patients within the Ada Service Unit and nearby communities. Its comprehensive offerings will include primary care, specialty care, intensive care beds, inpatient beds, crisis intervention beds, labor and delivery services, surgery, an emergency department, and a wide range of support services. Specialized care for pediatric patients and home health services will also be available.

The final design encompasses approximately 2.4 million gross square feet, featuring multiple buildings on a 158-acre campus.

Authorized under Section 818 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (P.L. 94-437), the IHS Joint Venture Program enables tribes or tribal organizations to acquire, construct, or renovate healthcare facilities and lease them to the IHS at no cost for 20 years. Selected participants fund the design and construction of the facility using tribal, private, or other non-IHS sources. In return, the IHS seeks congressional funding for staffing, operations, and maintenance as part of the Joint Venture Agreement. The Chickasaw Nation's project was chosen for the program in FY 2020.

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