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HomeHealthOsage community, healthcare officials break ground on new Wahzhazhe Health Center

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Osage community, healthcare officials break ground on new Wahzhazhe Health Center

Construction on the $50 million clinic is expected to take approximately 18 months

Osage Nation government and health officials and community members celebrated the start of construction on a new larger Wahzhazhe Health Center on Nov. 20 that will bring expanded medical services and clinic workspace to serve patients in Pawhuska. 

Amid recent rains, which created muddy walking and driving conditions at the building site, more than 50 people joined ON Health System officials and the Si-Si A-Pe-Txa (health) Board for a groundbreaking ceremony at the location along Main Street’s south side. Last year, the Nation purchased those land parcels for the proposed 63,000-square-foot clinic, including those where the former Safeway grocery and Moore’s hardware stores previously stood.

Construction on the $50 million clinic is expected to take approximately 18 months and when complete, it will offer more healthcare services in a facility replacing the current clinic – built in 1977 – that has been overcrowded for years. With the morning’s inclement weather conditions, attendees gathered under a special event tent at the site to hear from the Nation’s government and health officials before a celebratory dirt shoveling took place to commemorate the project’s start.

Mark Rogers, CEO for the Nation’s Health System and WHC, welcomed attending dignitaries as an event emcee that morning by recognizing those representing other Oklahoma tribal nations, the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic, Tulsa Indian Healthcare Resource Center, Oklahoma State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Office of American Indians in Medicine and Science, Blue Cross Blue Shield, as well as other entities and Osage tribal officials who helped bring the clinic project to fruition. 

Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear said the clinic project is “an incredible leap forward” for the Nation and recognized countless government officials, prior health board members and clinic health providers (current and past) who served the community and worked on efforts to bring the new clinic forward.

“I saw those (ceremonial) shovels here and I’m thinking about there’s going to be a few of us using those shovels here in a few minutes, but look back on how many of you here had something to do with this and how many that aren’t here had something to do with this, I think we can fill this whole field with those shovels,” Standing Bear said. “And so, what we’re doing is symbolic of your efforts and we thank you all.”

Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear speaks at the groundbreaking of the new Wahzhazhe Health Center location on Nov. 20, 2023. ECHO REED/Osage News

Standing Bear called the new clinic “a blessing” and said the Nation “is fortunate to be in a position as our elders said ‘take care of one another, be good to one another.’ We’re actually in that position to do it, so if we don’t do it, it’s our fault … It’s up to us, the next generation, it’s up to you to carry it forward and keep going to keep us healthy in mind, body and spirit.”

Osage Congresswoman Paula Stabler, chair of the Congressional Health and Social Services Committee said she is “happy that this day has come and so proud of this work that has gone on for decades and generations.”

Before winning her first election to Congress in 2018, Stabler served as WHC clinic director and recalled the staff scramble leading up to the first day of clinic operations under an Indian Health Service compact in 2015. “When we opened up, we had no software, we had no records, we had no processes, we only had supplies left on the shelf, but if it wasn’t for those original employees that were there at the time, we wouldn’t have made it. We just literally gathered together.”

While in her managerial role, Stabler said “I had the biggest brain trust on the hill working in the clinic, they were amazing, they were quick-thinkers” as she thought of former clinic employees she visited with and asked “what could you do that will make this experience better for our patients? What is it that we need to set up as our goal? And at the end of the day, we had 86 items that we were going to complete to make that happen and we did them all … And in nine months, we had a three-year accreditation, we had all our policies and procedures in place and we were feeling pretty solid at that point.”

When construction on the new two-story Wahzhazhe Health Center is completed, the first floor will consist of primary care and clinic space; CT, X-ray, and imaging; laboratory testing and storage; and pharmacy (drive-through included). The second floor will comprise departments, including diabetes optometry, dental, physical therapy and room to add more services.

Stabler also shared the origin of “Si-Si-A-Pe-Txa” which is “The Healing Place” in the Osage language and is included in Osage law under The Health Care Reform Act of 2022.

About 25 years ago, Stabler said her Uncle Ed Red Eagle would come visit her home in the Pawhuska Village and “he stopped by one day and came in and said ‘today they’ve asked me to come up with a name for a clinic.’ He said ‘I’ve been thinking and thinking all day long because there is no word for it in Osage for clinic or doctor’s office. I’ve got a word I think I’m going to give them to use and it was ‘Si-Si-A-Pe-Txa’ and that’s the name for our Health System today. So, it takes 25 years to get that name established and to get the law passed for it, so we did it. I’m really proud of us today thinking back on all the people, people in my family, elders that I knew – and I know they’re happy today too for us and this accomplishment.”  

Paula Stabler, ON Congresswoman, speaks at the groundbreaking of the new Wahzhazhe Health Center location on Nov. 20, 2023. ECHO REED/Osage News

A description of the forthcoming new WHC, notes: “Designed by Erdman, the exterior of the building will be wrapped in brick and natural stone with custom cast stone accents. The interior of the building consists of several high-end finishes, including polished terrazzo flooring, custom wall coverings, decorative stairs, and custom millwork cabinetry throughout the public spaces. Art from local artists will be incorporated throughout the first and second floors. The facility, which will be built by Nabholz, is projected to open in summer 2025. Consulting on this project was also provided by Connect Advisors, with financing and development provided by FSA Advisory Group.”

Cindra Shangreau, chair of the Si-Si-A-Pe-Txa board, called the day “a momentous occasion,” noting she joined the board in 2019 and met with architects from Erdman at her first meeting. She called the board experience a “full circle” one after recalling earlier Pawhuska clinics in other locations while growing up and later worked as a pharmacy professional at other healthcare facilities before joining the board as the Nation sought to replace the clinic on the government campus.

“We’ve now grown out of our current clinic and today we break ground on a 60,000 square feet state-of-the-art facility to serve the health needs of the great Osage Nation and the Northeast Oklahoma community,” Shangreau said. “The clinic will be built with a loan from the Bank of Oklahoma to Si-Si-A-Pe-Txa – not with Osage Nation dollars, nor with gaming dollars. But Si-Si-A-Pe-Txa will pay off this loan with our (proceeds) from third-party payments, our Medicare, our Medicaid and our private pay insurance.”

The Si-Si-A-Pe-Txa (health) board and health providers at the groundbreaking of the new Wahzhazhe Health Center location on Nov. 20, 2023. ECHO REED/Osage News

Shangreau also acknowledged former health board members, ON Health System administration, ON elected officials for their work efforts and especially the late Dr. Ron Shaw who served as the first CEO and Chief Medical Officer of the WHC when it opened under an IHS compact in 2015. Shaw served in his WHC posts until 2021 when he resigned that spring and later passed in September.

“Thank you all for setting us on this path, we would be remiss not to remember the late Dr. Ronald Shaw. His vision was one of this clinic and we honor and appreciate the dedication he gave to this health system to see this new clinic come to fruition today,” Shangreau said.

Rogers said Dr. Shaw was “well known in Indian Country, he was a staunch advocate of the Osage people and he shared something with you about the culture … I was super excited when I had the opportunity to work for this amazing tribe and amazing people … Dr. Shaw’s thirst for self-governance and having a strong tribe with a strong health system led him to work with likeminded legislators just like Congresswoman Stabler was talking about and keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers today.”

Shangreau recognized Si-Si-A-Pe-Txa/ ON Health System administration for their work including CEO Rogers (Cherokee Nation), Chief Operations Officer Kirk Shaw (Osage), Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Little, Chief Financial Officer James Brasel and Director of Nursing Marcy Barton (Osage). “Without them, none of this would be possible. Our Health System has seen recent record growth and historic increase in revenue cycle returns and increases in staffing with several medical specialties added, a decrease in staff turnover, in addition to increasing employee satisfaction.”

In closing, Shangreau said: “Thank you to the Osage people for your trust in the Si-Si-A-Pe-Txa to elevate your healthcare. We are honored to serve the Osage Nation and bring the best healthcare available to our reservation and our people.”

Many people gathered for the groundbreaking of the new Wahzhazhe Health Center location on Nov. 20, 2023. ECHO REED/Osage News

To view additional photos from the groundbreaking ceremony, visit the Osage News’ Flickr album at https://www.flickr.com/photos/osagenews/albums/72177720312816200/with/53345630115/

Author

  • Benny Polacca

    Title: Senior Reporter

    Email: bpolacca@osagenation-nsn.gov

    Instagram: @bpolacca

    Topic Expertise: Government, Tribal Government, Community

    Languages spoken: English, basic knowledge of Spanish and French

    Benny Polacca (Hopi/ Havasupai/ Pima/ Tohono O’odham) started working at the Osage News in 2009 as a reporter in Pawhuska, Okla., where he’s covered various stories and events that impact the Osage Nation and Osage people. Those newspaper contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics and issues from tribal government matters to features. As a result, Polacca has gained an immeasurable amount of experience in covering Native American affairs, government issues and features so the Osage readership can be better informed about the tribal current affairs the newspaper covers.

    Polacca is part of the Osage News team that was awarded the Native American Journalists Association's Elias Boudinet Free Press Award in 2014 and has won numerous NAJA media awards, as well as awards from the Oklahoma Press Association and SPJ Oklahoma Pro Chapter, for storytelling coverage and photography.

    Polacca earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and also participated in the former American Indian Journalism Institute at the University of South Dakota where he was introduced to the basics of journalism and worked with seasoned journalists there and later at The Forum daily newspaper covering the Fargo, N.D. area where he worked as the weeknight reporter.

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Benny Polacca
Benny Polaccahttps://osagenews.org

Title: Senior Reporter

Email: bpolacca@osagenation-nsn.gov

Instagram: @bpolacca

Topic Expertise: Government, Tribal Government, Community

Languages spoken: English, basic knowledge of Spanish and French

Benny Polacca (Hopi/ Havasupai/ Pima/ Tohono O’odham) started working at the Osage News in 2009 as a reporter in Pawhuska, Okla., where he’s covered various stories and events that impact the Osage Nation and Osage people. Those newspaper contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics and issues from tribal government matters to features. As a result, Polacca has gained an immeasurable amount of experience in covering Native American affairs, government issues and features so the Osage readership can be better informed about the tribal current affairs the newspaper covers.

Polacca is part of the Osage News team that was awarded the Native American Journalists Association's Elias Boudinet Free Press Award in 2014 and has won numerous NAJA media awards, as well as awards from the Oklahoma Press Association and SPJ Oklahoma Pro Chapter, for storytelling coverage and photography.

Polacca earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and also participated in the former American Indian Journalism Institute at the University of South Dakota where he was introduced to the basics of journalism and worked with seasoned journalists there and later at The Forum daily newspaper covering the Fargo, N.D. area where he worked as the weeknight reporter.

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