Inside Muscogee Nation's New Council Oak Comprehensive Healthcare Center In Tulsa

The Muscogee Nation recently closed on its purchase of the former Cancer Treatment Centers of America Tulsa location near 81st and Highway 64.      

The tribe told News On 6 the newly named Council Oak Comprehensive Healthcare is Muscogee Nation's effort to have a footprint in Tulsa and better serve the community.

Shawn Terry, the tribe's secretary of health, said the Muscogee Nation paid $40 million for the facility and property, which came with medical equipment and even furniture.

Terry said that made it an easy transition, and over the last few weeks, the facility has seen dozens of patients a day.

Plans for this campus will include the public and all kinds of specialty care.

"Once COVID hit, one of the gaps that we found was that the hospitals filled up, and we didn't have a place for our patients to go when they needed that critical care," said Terry.

Terry said for now, Council Oak has COVID-19 vaccinations and traditional outpatient Indian health clinic services for members.

"We have a physician, who is providing a specialty clinic for HIV and Hepatitis C patients, and that's her specialty,” explained Terry. “And then, we also have an Express Care that's open for natives."

Later this month, Council Oak will open a monoclonal antibody infusion center that is open to everyone.

Terry said the center will offer infusion to 30 to 40 COVID-19 patients a day.

"We know these hospitals are extremely full in Tulsa,” Terry said. “These patients are having difficulty getting that monoclonal antibody, and we thought that would be a fantastic place to serve the public."

Terry said by early next year, the hospital side with 27 in-patient rooms and seven ICU beds will be open to everyone.

There will also be clinics for neurology, stroke and orthopedics.

Terry said the rooms on the hotel side of the property will be turned into hospice care and sleep study areas.

Muscogee Nation is also working on a new electronic medical record system, which should be done in January.

After that, most of the facility will be ready to open in early 2022.