Community Healers: How Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority Leads in Health and Wellness

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to describe how the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) is addressing the health needs of its community, with an emphasis on integrating Cherokee culture and Western medical care as a method to improve community health. The CIHA is a tribally owned and operated health care system in the rural southeastern United States that has implemented community- and culturally centered initiatives to best serve their patient population. Researchers documented CIHA's work in the context of government-to-government relationships between federal and state entities and Native Nations.

Key Findings:

• The CIHA, located in the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in Cherokee, North Carolina, operates under Indigenous leadership to blend traditional healing with modern medicine.
• Integrating Cherokee culture, language, and practices into health care helps build trust and support healing within the community served by the CIHA.
• Health care delivery that is shaped by the values of local communities can reflect their unique histories, needs, and priorities and support population health and well-being.