Cherokee Health Systems
Cherokee Health Systems is a federally qualified community health center based in Knoxville, TN, with 23 clinic locations in 15 cities. It served 64,169 patients in 2025. Fees are on a sliding scale by income and insurance, and every patient is seen regardless of ability to pay.
- 64,169patients in 2025
- 25%uninsured patients
- 66%at or below the poverty line
Care offered: primary care, dental care, mental health care, substance use treatment, eye exams, children’s checkups, women’s health, and telehealth.
Who Cherokee Health Systems serves
66% of patients live at or below the poverty line and 93% are at or below twice that level. 25% have no insurance, 38% have Medicaid or CHIP, 13% have Medicare and 22% have private insurance. 7,089 patients were experiencing homelessness. 261 were veterans.
| Measure | This center | TN median | U.S. median | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patients at or below the poverty line | 66% | 65% | 65% | +1 pts |
| Patients at or below 200% of the poverty line | 93% | 95% | 92% | −2 pts |
| Measure | This center | TN median | U.S. median | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uninsured patients | 25% | 26% | 14% | −1 pts |
| Medicaid or CHIP patients | 38% | 23% | 42% | +14 pts |
| Medicare patients | 13% | 13% | 11% | In line |
| Privately insured patients | 22% | 28% | 24% | −5 pts |
Care and screenings
| Service | Patients | What it counts |
|---|---|---|
| Dental care | 1,419 | patients had dental exams |
| Mental health care | 37,622 | patients treated for depression or anxiety |
| Substance use treatment | 714 | patients in treatment |
| Eye exams | 1,370 | patients had eye exams |
| Well-child visits | 8,341 | children had checkups |
| Flu shots | 7,198 | patients vaccinated |
| Cervical cancer screening | 1,757 | patients tested |
| Breast cancer screening | 2,587 | patients screened |
| Family planning | 2,165 | patients served |
| Diabetes care | 7,359 | patients with diabetes |
| Blood pressure care | 15,020 | patients with hypertension |
| Asthma care | 2,023 | patients with asthma |
| HIV testing | 2,198 | patients tested |
| Hepatitis C testing | 1,861 | patients tested |
| Childhood lead tests | 177 | children tested |
Quality of care
Cherokee Health Systems is at or above the Tennessee median on 2 of 7 preventive-care measures. Higher is better on every line.
| Measure | This center | TN median | U.S. median | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adults with high blood pressure under control | 65% | 66% | 68% | In line |
| Women 52–74 screened for breast cancer | 40% | 48% | 54% | −7 pts |
| Women 24–64 screened for cervical cancer | 47% | 46% | 54% | +2 pts |
| Adults 46–75 screened for colorectal cancer | 32% | 34% | 44% | −2 pts |
| Patients 12+ screened for depression | 60% | 86% | 77% | −25 pts |
| Adults assessed for tobacco use | 86% | 89% | 86% | −2 pts |
| High-risk adults on statin therapy | 84% | 78% | 79% | +6 pts |
Where Cherokee Health Systems patients live
| ZIP code | Patients | Uninsured |
|---|---|---|
| 37921 | 3,560 | 28% |
| 37917 | 3,107 | 31% |
| 37814 | 2,953 | 29% |
| 37918 | 2,403 | 30% |
| 37914 | 2,266 | 24% |
| 37912 | 2,252 | 29% |
| 37920 | 2,171 | 24% |
| 37771 | 1,625 | 38% |
Cherokee Health Systems locations
CHS Clinton Clinic (Anderson County)
CHS East Knox Clinic
CHS Knox Homeless Health Center (5th Ave)
CHS Lenoir City - Creekwood
CHS Maynardville Clinic
CHS New Tazewell Clinic (Claiborne County)
CHS Seymour Clinic (Sevier County)
Other health centers in Tennessee
- Christ Community Health Services, Inc.
- United Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. DBA Nbhd Hlth
- Rural Health Services Consortium, Inc.
- Maury Regional Hospital
- Matthew Walker Health Center
- Hardin County Regional Health Center
How fees work: the sliding-fee guide.