The Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority’s (CIHA) Tsali Care Center is prominently featured in a recent PBS program, ncIMPACT, highlighting the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and their innovative approach to healthcare (watch the short, seven-minute video clip below). The news feature, hosted by David Hurst, underscores the severity of challenges faced by Native American healthcare nationwide. “Native Americans have the lowest life expectancy of any race or ethnicity in the country,” says Hurst, “The U.S. Government is legally obligated to provide healthcare to all federally recognized tribes, yet these disparities have been going on for decades, so some tribes have been taking matters into their own hands and creating their own healthcare systems that actually get results.”
Revolutionizing Healthcare for the Cherokee
In the mountains of Cherokee, North Carolina the ribbon cutting for the Tsali Care Center celebrated a significant milestone for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. This 125,000-square-foot residential care facility provides 120 private rooms and was designed to provide a continuum of care that includes skilled nursing, assisted living, and a specialized 20-bed memory care unit.
A State-of-the-Art Continuing Care Facility with Deep Cultural Roots
Tsali Care’s leadership and community stakeholders engaged McMillan Pazdan Smith’s Advisory Services team in 2019 to create a Continuing Care Retirement Community Master Plan. MPS was then retained to design the new Tsali Care Center through the lens of the CIHA Guiding Principles. Robins & Morton was the general contractor. One factor that makes this facility unique is the way it blends modern healthcare with rich Cherokee traditions and holistic practices to provide seamless, comprehensive care to the elders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
A Model of Holistic Care and Wellness for Future Generations
Through a collaboration with Western Carolina University’s nursing program that is based in Cherokee culture, combined with the enhanced workspaces, simulation centers, and training rooms available on site, CIHA has the goal of becoming an employer of choice for the region.
We invite you to watch the full PBS feature to learn more about the deep-rooted commitment to the highest standards of care and the community well-being CIHA is providing through the Tsali Care Center and the hospital to the Cherokee community in Western North Carolina.