- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Health Care
The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma completed the acquisition of a healthcare administration building on Dec. 16 — a real estate transaction that expands the tribe’s health infrastructure and reorganizes how its health programs are administered in the Tahlequah area.
The tribe acquired a 3.88-acre property with a 7,700-square-foot building that will serve as the new UKB Healthcare Administration Building. Financial terms of the purchase were not disclosed. The facility will house the UKB Health Administration Team and Prevention Team, centralizing administrative, care coordination and planning functions that are currently spread across multiple locations.
UKB Chief Jeff Wacoche said the acquisition allows the Tribe to directly manage its health programs and facilities. “By completing this acquisition, we are not only expanding our physical presence – we are asserting our sovereignty and taking direct responsibility for administering healthcare for our Members,” Wacoche said in a statement.
The move enables a shift in how UKB uses its existing health properties. Behavioral health services are expected to relocate from Echota West, a 4,000-square-foot building on 40 acres west of Tahlequah, allowing that facility to be repurposed as the UKB Health Clinic focused on direct patient care. UKB officials said the transition will increase clinical capacity by separating administrative functions from treatment spaces.
Tribal Attorney Bryan Shade, a partner at Lippes Mathias, said the location factored into the purchase. “It’s the third-busiest intersection in the county. It is just shy of 4 acres and really is the best property location-wise that we could hope to purchase,” Shade said.
Jennifer Leep, director of Echota Behavioral Health, said the change creates clearer operational lines between administration and care delivery. “For the first time, we will have dedicated facilities designed to support both administration and care delivery,” Leep said.
The Tribe said renovation schedules, relocation timelines and the opening of the repurposed UKB Health Clinic at Echota West will be announced as planning is finalized.
