Welcome to CIHA: Cherokee’s Home for Medical Care.

MAIN PHONE: 828.497.9163

The goal of the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority is to serve as your medical home, making your journey back to good health as comfortable as possible. Healthcare issues can be frightening, overwhelming—that’s why we want to make the process look and feel as comfortable as if you were at home. We are committed to providing a personal physician to you who oversees all of your healthcare needs, coordinates your care across all settings, and uses the most recent healthcare practices. This coordination includes guiding you across all of CIHA’s assets, including our main Hospital, various clinics across the Qualla Boundary, and other healthcare resources we have available to you.

Here’s What to Expect, and How We’ll Get Started with You.

To assist you, we will need your help providing us with your medical history, as well as information about any care you obtain outside our health system. This must include current medications, recent test results, visits to other doctors and healthcare providers, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits.

Your Integrated Care Team will:

1. Begin by getting to know you.

To best help, we’ll need to start by learning about you, your family, your life situation, and your preferences for care. We will update your records every time you visit and suggest treatments that make sense for you. Additionally, we’ll listen to your questions and always treat you as a full partner in your care.

2. Communicate with you.

Understanding how frightening and confusing health challenges can be, we’ll carefully take time to explain your health situation to you and make sure you know all of your options for care. We will encourage you to ask questions, and we’ll always try to answer them in a way you understand. In that way, we can assist you in making the best decisions for your care.

3. Support you.

Setting goals for your recovery is an important step, and we can help guide you on what’s reasonable and attainable. We’ll also help you meet the goals you set by providing you with information about classes, support groups, or other services designed to help you realize your goals. And we’ll provide information about your condition and staying healthy along the way, utilizing trusted specialists or experts when it’s necessary.

What you can do to improve your own health outcome:

1. Be in charge of your health.

People who stay committed to their own health and recovery tend to do far better than those who don’t. If you take an active role with your own health, generally speaking you’ll tend to live a far happier, healthier life. Make sure you understand your health situation or ask questions if you’re unclear. And always be sure to follow your medical professionals’ advice and instructions.

2. Participate in your care.

By actively staying in pursuit of your health goals, you’ll have a far better outcome. Just remember that there are no “little things” in your healthcare—everything is important. Be sure to follow the plan that your Integrated Care Team suggests. Take your medication as prescribed. Keep your scheduled appointments. And always attend follow-up visits when necessary.

3. Communicate with your Integrated Care Team.

Your feedback about how you’re doing is an invaluable part of your healing process. So be sure to tell your Integrated Care Team how prescriptions, medications, exercise, diet, or any aspect of your care is going for you. Help us coordinate care you are receiving from other health professionals by explaining to us what they have prescribed, and ensuring we have their medical records. And bring with you to every appointment a list of your questions and a list of medicines or herbal supplements you take.