Native-owned diagnostics company celebrates expansion at new facility

Written By: Rachael Schuit

Native Commerce News is sponsored by the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma (AICCO), dedicated to expanding Indian Country commerce across the globe. 

(OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.) April 14 will be a big day for AICCO Native Business Tribal Diagnostics, the only Native American-owned diagnostic laboratory in operation. The company will hold a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of its new 25,000 square foot facility in Oklahoma City. 

“When we founded in 2015, we had nothing,” said Cory Littlepage, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and the founder and CEO of Tribal Diagnostics. “And the mission worked. And a bunch of people believed in us and a bunch of entities believed in us and one customer turned into two, turned into four, turned into several thousand. So, there’s several thousand healthcare providers that utilize our services.”

Littlepage said their growth led to needing more space to offer services, including on-site lab testing and receiving collections from those thousands of healthcare providers.

The previous space was just 5,000 square feet. 

“I think overall in a time when access to healthcare is getting harder and harder for us to be a part of the solution, not just in Indian Country, but for all people, especially in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisians, it just makes me really proud,” Littlepage said. “And I’m really proud of our team, many of whom have been with us since the beginning, that have believed. And we’ve had partners that have believed.”

Tribal Diagnostics offers 400 lab tests under $20, including metabolic panels, testing for diabetes, and cholesterol tests. 

Littlepage said the company has also been able to add 40 employees this year, bringing the number of employees up to 200. 

In addition to creating more job opportunities, the expansion creates expanded testing opportunities. 

“The fact that we’re able to move into a facility that’s five times larger than what we have allows us to expand offerings to oncology, more we can do on women’s health, more we can do on STI testing,” said Littlepage. “It just proves that you can build a thriving healthcare business and keep patients in Indian Country at the center of everything you do.”

And, Littlefield said, his mission is not just about business; it’s personal. 

“Really, my title is Dad,” Littlepage said. “That’s the most important title. I have three daughters. I lost my wife to cancer two years ago, so this is more than just a business to me, it’s really about living the mission and how passionate I am about the value of diagnostics and not only identifying but ultimately treating disease.”

Monday’s ribbon cutting will take place at 9217 S. Eastern Ave in Oklahoma City at 2:00 pm. 

Chickasaw Nation citizens Congressman Tom Cole and Tribal Diagnostics Director of Tribal Relations and former AICCO State President Bailey Walker will also speak at the event. 

Learn more about Tribal Diagnostics here.