OU Health is working to negotiate a new contract with UnitedHealthcare (UHC). We began our negotiations in November of 2021, and continue to remain far apart on the issues, which will cause OU Health to go out of network with UHC on May 1, 2022.
Oklahomas most complex and ill patients come to OU Health for access to doctors and treatment available nowhere else in the state or region, benefiting the individual patient, the state, and all of healthcare through specialized treatment that leads to life-saving new discoveries.
UHC has recorded windfall profits in the past year, and yet they are undervaluing the flagship academic health system of Oklahoma that is home to the states only NCI-Designated cancer center, only comprehensive childrens hospital, and the most specialized group of physicians in the region.
Oklahoma deserves and needs a level of healthcare that only we can provide and this cannot continue to happen for our UHC-covered patients if UHC cuts its reimbursement to OU Health. The contract termination deadline is April 30, 2022, and we are deeply concerned about not reaching an agreement.
For our state to be healthier, Oklahomans needs access to world-class, research-driven healthcare. UHC is undervaluing the states largest, most highly specialized, research-driven physician group by insisting on reducing OU Health's provider reimbursement by 39 percent and the facilities in which they practice by 20 percent. We cannot invest in our academic, research and clinical care missions if UHC undervalues us and continues to hold onto their profits.
By undervaluing the states only specialized group of research physicians, only NCI-designated cancer center and only comprehensive childrens hospital, UHC shortchanges Oklahomans by keeping their record profits and not reinvesting in improved healthcare for all.
UHC claims OU Health is the most expensive provider in Oklahoma. As the flagship academic health system, it is our responsibility to care for all of the states most complex and seriously ill patients. Taking care of such high acuity patients is our duty to the state and our covenant to the community. UHC comparing our expenses to those of a community hospital does not factor the overall cost of care for those complex patients. The national cost per unit averages for academic health centers on standardized procedures is 15% higher than the cost per unit averages for community hospitals, while total cost of care for academic health systems averages 25% lower.
The bottom line is this: UHC is not willing to provide necessary reimbursements, even though we are the states most specialized group of research physicians utilizing the states most specialized health facilities. Instead, they are keeping their record windfall profits from an unprecedented and deadly pandemic, rather than investing it in Oklahoma healthcare. UHC is further harming Oklahomans by driving healthcare dollars out of state and forcing our citizens to have to travel hundreds of miles to find in-network specialty care.
OU Health cares for you. Wherever you and your family live in Oklahoma or across the region, you can rely on the exceptional healthcare services, outstanding physicians and collaborative partnerships youll find at OU Health.
In partnership with The University of Oklahoma, OU Health offers you the states only comprehensive academic health system of hospitals, clinics and centers of excellence focused on delivering the evidence-based healthcare that means you receive the most advanced care and treatment available anywhere. With the state's largest and most comprehensive physician practice, OU Health Physicians, our doctors are the experts in prevention, treatment and cures, all while training the physicians of tomorrow.
When you choose OU Health for healthcare, youll work with many of our 11,000 employees, including more than 1,300 physicians and advance practice providers in Oklahomas largest physician network offering a complete roster of specialty care. U.S. News & World Report ranked four of our specialties as high performing in 2019-2020 ophthalmology in partnership with Dean McGee Eye Institute, colon cancer surgery, COPD and congestive heart failure (CHF).
Oklahoma Childrens Hospital OU Health, Oklahomas only freestanding childrens hospital, provides comprehensive pediatric healthcare to the state and the region. At OU Health, youll also find the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Center OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and Oklahomas premier hospital, OU Health University of Oklahoma Medical Center, which serves as the states only Level 1 trauma center, taking on the most challenging health conditions, as well as providing top-quality care for everyday needs.
With your well-being in mind, were enhancing your experience at OU Health by expanding the facilities designed for your care and treatment, which includes adding an innovative medical tower at University of Oklahoma Medical Center in Oklahoma City. No matter where you get care at OU Health, you benefit from the latest advances in medical technology and exceptional amenities that comfort and support you and your family in the healing process.
When you need accommodations or meals in the local community while you support or care for a loved one at OU Health, ask your care team or patient navigator for information about special discounts or resources that may apply to your specific situation. Find out more at these city websites:
One of the nations few academic health centers with seven professional colleges Allied Health, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, Graduate Studies the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center serves approximately 4,000 students in more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs on campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Visit ouhsc.edu.
Founded in 1910, the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine trains the next generation of healthcare professionals. Campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa offer the states only Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree program, a nationally competitive Physician Assistant (PA) program, a M.D./Ph.D. dual-degree program, the option to take MPH coursework and a multitude of graduate medical education (GME) residency and fellowship programs. Visit medicine.ouhsc.edu.
OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center Oklahomas only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Center provides nationally recognized cancer care in one of the countrys elite centers. As the largest and most comprehensive oncology practice in Oklahoma, Stephenson delivers patient-centered, multidisciplinary care for every type of cancer. One of the nations leading research organizations, Stephenson Cancer Center uses the latest scientific breakthroughs and innovations in the ongoing effort to treat and eliminate cancer. Stephenson currently ranks No. 1 among all cancer centers in the nation for the number of people participating in clinical trials sponsored by the NCIs National Clinical Trials Network. Visit www.stephensoncancercenter.org.
Committed to curing diabetes and ending the diabetes pandemic in the 21st century, OU Health Harold Hamm Diabetes Center stands among the largest and most comprehensive institutions of its kind across the globe, integrating top-flight academic research with clinical care and disease prevention. The center oversees the worlds top research prize in the diabetes field. Youll find our facilities in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and affiliated sites across the state, including partnerships with Native American communities. Through Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, you can take advantage of a wide range of innovative services, including support groups, cooking classes, lifestyle-intervention programs and a summer camp for children and teens. Visit www.hammdiabetes.org.
Among the nations leaders in the growing field of community medicine, the OU-TU School of Community Medicine focuses on population-based health outcomes and how our social situations and communities affect our health. Located at OU-Tulsa, this four-year medical school represents a track within OU College of Medicine as a joint effort between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Tulsa. www.ou.edu/tulsa
Through nearly one million patient visits each year, OU Health Physicians provides healthcare with a depth and breadth of expertise unmatched in the region. More than 1,300 physicians and advanced practice providers, experts in their respective fields, work together as OU Health Physicians in Oklahomas largest physician network, delivering expert health services that encompass almost every adult and pediatric specialty.
As experts in the management of complex conditions, many OU Health Physicians doctors provide treatments not available anywhere else in the state, region or sometimes, even the nation. You and your loved ones may receive care from physicians who have pioneered and mastered intricate surgical procedures or other world-first innovations in patient care.
Find OU Health Physicians in convenient locations, from the Oklahoma Health Center in downtown Oklahoma City to nearly two dozen additional clinics across the metro area, Edmond and Midwest City. In Tulsa communities, 300 physicians and specialists provide care for you and your loved ones at five OU Health Physicians clinic locations.
In results of the annual survey conducted by Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) for Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), patients gave OU Health Physicians high marks:
In 2015, OU Health Physicians became one of the first physician practices in the country to post online patient satisfaction survey ratings. To date, nearly 300,000 online ratings and reviews have been published, giving our patients and families the ability to review feedback from other patients. Guide to Patient Satisfaction Surveys & Rankings.
In 2020, OU Health received the Pandemic Acceleration and Activation Award from national telehealth leader Amwell , in recognition of its nimble virtual response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The enterprise was specifically recognized for its ability to rapidly scale virtual care programs to meet unprecedented demand for safe delivery of needed care. In connection with this award, OU Health was prominently featured in an Amwell publication, which detailed OU Healths strategic implementation of a range of virtual tools for patient care.
Because ensuring a positive patient experience is our top priority, OU Health launched a virtual care program in 2019 in OU Health Physicians clinics called OU Health Connect. The program allows providers to engage with patients across the state and adjacent states in order to manage medical conditions and appropriately prescribe medications. Services initially included post-operative visits and pain management, and continue to expand in response to patient needs. These elements were particularly strategic as the COVID-19 pandemic intensified across the United States.
OU Health Physicians primary care clinics in Tulsa and Oklahoma City have earned Patient-Centered Medical Home designation, a distinction awarded by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Having earned this designation, clinical practices maintain NCQA standards of compliance for the most timely and appropriate care. Participation in the program demonstrates commitment to positive patient experience and improved patient care for better overall health status. Four OU Health Physicians clinics in Tulsa have earned PCMH designation. In Oklahoma City, more than a dozen OU Health Physicians clinics are PCMH-designated. Studies show that patients who use PCMH clinics are more likely to stay healthy because they take advantage of preventive services and screening opportunities that alert them to potential health concerns.
The focus of the patient-centered medical home model is preventive and proactive healthcare, which builds patient-provider relationships that improve patient outcomes. A team approach ensures comprehensive, coordinated care that addresses the total health needs of the individual, rather than treating incidental health episodes as they arise.
Communication is a core concept of the patient-centered medical home. Communication encompasses not only the exchange of information between patients, families and caregivers, but also include ease of access to medical records. The result is better management of chronic or complex conditions.
Children are not small adults. Doctors at OU Health Physicians possess the essential level of pediatric expertise to provide outstanding healthcare for children at Oklahoma Childrens Hospital OU Health, Oklahomas only freestanding childrens hospital. Most of these doctors have dedicated their practices exclusively to the care of children and are board certified in pediatric-specific specialties. Leading the state and region in both clinical and hospital settings, Oklahoma Childrens Hospital and OU Health Physicians make sure that Oklahomas children receive the best care possible.
Highly regarded cancer experts from OU Health Physicians lead complex care management at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahomas only National Cancer-Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Center. These specialists bring the most advanced cancer therapies available to residents of Oklahoma and the region through top-quality clinical care and the latest therapies based on clinical trials. Healing , as well as the most advanced surgical procedures
OU Health Physicians also make up the provider group at OU Health University of Oklahoma Medical Center, the states flagship hospital and the regions only Level 1 trauma center, and at OU Health Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, where they deliver expert, research-driven diabetes care in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
Many OU Health Physicians are involved in an essential part of our mission providing a medical education unmatched in quality, that prepares current and future physicians, including medical students and residents, who will serve Oklahoma and the region. They serve as faculty members at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and move healthcare forward, combining comprehensive education, extensive experience and the latest scientific advances for evidence-based care.
With its focus on exceptional patient experience, OU Health Physicians regularly receives recognition for excellence in patient care. That means you have a strong partner you can trust, confident in the quality of care that helps you and your loved ones be well, stay well or recover from illness or injury.
Whether you make regular visits to an OU Health doctors office, participate in wellness screenings or health educational programs, or you need specialized care at one of our hospitals or centers, you can take advantage of a wide range of healthcare activities and services from OU Health throughout communities in Oklahoma and, often, at a location near you.
Wherever you live in Oklahoma, youll find OU Health dedicated to improving your life and the lives of your loved ones by reaching underserved communities through direct patient care and services, education, and research. Our commitment to good stewardship within our community means you can rely on our efforts to identify, mitigate and address our communitys health needs inside and outside our facilities, as well as among our partners and in situations beyond the traditional medical model.
Healthy living happens every day through actions you can take to prevent certain health conditions, regular checkups that keep you on track and easy access to specialty care when you need it. OU Health stands by your side at every step along your health journey with the many ways we make sound investments in our community through services and programs that reach far beyond the doors of our facilities.
In partnership with University of Oklahoma Centers of Excellence, OU Health supports innovative research intended to improve quality of life in the state. Whether working with the OU Tulsa campus on the Food Is Medicine program and study, supporting the development of smoking cessation technologies or actively participating in the Oklahoma Physicians Research/Resource Network (OKPRN), OU Health invests in innovation happening throughout Oklahoma.
As Oklahomas only comprehensive academic medical center and campus, OU Health serves a critical role in developing the next generation of medical professionals for the state and region. The leading healthcare experts in many medical fields work at OU Health, serving our community and training the strongest possible healthcare workforce for Oklahomas future.
While medical professionals across OU Health primarily focus on providing the highest quality healthcare, OU Health staff members at all levels give their time to help make Oklahoma a better, healthier place to live. Youll find OU Health staff as volunteers in the community through efforts like our Live to Give program, as well as investing in community-based organizations and strategically connecting with partners throughout the community. All activities seek to improve both quality of life and health outcomes for communities we serve.