LAWTON – Comanche County Memorial Hospital’s pending purchase of Southwestern Medical Center will “maintain local ownership of our hospitals and provide additional services for our citizens,” attorney John Zelbst of the CCMH governing board told Southwest Ledger.
The combined organization will be called Memorial Health System of Southwest Oklahoma to reflect the evolution into a unified regional healthcare system.
The acquisition of SWMC by CCMH will “expand access to quality healthcare across Southwest Oklahoma,” the medical facilities announced in a joint statement. The merger was approved unanimously by the CCMH Board of Directors and by the Comanche County Commissioners.
The commissioners on Sept. 15 also authorized the Comanche County Hospital Authority to incur a debt of up to $55 million to buy SWMC. The purchase price is “actually a little less than that,” Zelbst told the Ledger, adding that the acquisition will be financed through a bank. The note will be sold “on a negotiated basis,” records reflect.
“Joining our two trusted local hospitals together will strengthen our ability to care for more people while protecting the values and relationships that have defined CCMH for decades,” said Brent Smith, chief executive officer of CCMH and a Fellow of American College of Healthcare Executives.
“We are proud to welcome SWMC to our CCMH family, and we are committed to making this transition smooth for our patients, staff, and community.” The partnership will “ensure continuity of care, expanded service availability, and a stronger, more resilient healthcare network” throughout Lawton and surrounding areas, Smith said.
Other key benefits of the acquisition, he said, include:
• Expanded capacity to meet increasing demand.
• Enhanced access to specialty care and services previously limited in the area.
• Streamlined operations for greater efficiency and faster response times.
• Investments in modern medical equipment and facility upgrades.
• A “shared commitment to local, high-quality, compassionate care.”
The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of this year, subject to regulatory requirements and standard closing conditions. After the transaction is finalized, patients “can expect to continue seeing the same local providers they know and trust,” Smith said.
The new name “symbolizes an improved approach to healthcare across the region, while continuing to meet the growing healthcare needs of the community” through specialty clinics, primary care and pediatric clinics, cancer services, and the McMahon Tomlinson Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Smith said.
The new identity includes a modernized logo and branding that honor the legacy of CCMH and SWMC while emphasizing innovation, integration, and ongoing community commitment.
Patients will begin to see the new branding rolled out gradually across signage, digital platforms, patient communications, and community outreach as the acquisition nears completion. A newly updated website and information hub also will be launched to provide clear, transparent updates during the transition.
“Bringing our teams together as Memorial Health System represents a significant investment in the future of quality healthcare for Lawton and Southwest Oklahoma,” said Libby Ferguson, interim CEO and chief nursing officer at SWMC.
“We are creating a connected, regional health system that provides trusted care across Southwest Oklahoma. SWMC will be known as Memorial Health System’s Southwestern campus, and we are excited to bring our talented teams together to operate as a unified, integrated system,” Ferguson said.
“This is a promise to our community,” said Natalie Fitch, chairperson of the CCMH board. “We’re growing with you and for you — keeping care close to home while building a system that’s ready for tomorrow.”
CCMH, SWMC have 464 beds for patients The merger of the two hospitals will be a “huge economic contributor” to Southwest Oklahoma, Zelbst said. Memorial Health System of Southwest Oklahoma will join Fort Sill and the Goodyear tire manufacturing plant as the largest employers in Comanche County.
CCMH, a nonprofit regional healthcare provider located in the 3400 block of West Gore Boulevard in Lawton, has 265 licensed beds. CCMH has more than 2,500 employees, more than 250 physicians across a wide range of specialties, and scores of volunteers. The hospital has served Southwest Oklahoma for more than 70 years.
CCMH is governed by a five member Board of Trustees. Although independent, the hospital collaborates extensively with Integris Health and other area facilities to provide patient-focused stateof- the-art care and treatment.
Southwestern Medical Center is a 199-bed hospital located at 5602 Southwest Lee Boulevard in Lawton, and has at least 200 employees, one source indicated. That hospital began as Turner and Lewis Private Hospital and Training School for Nurses on Oct. 17, 1907; it was located at the corner of 4th Street and South Boundary (now 402 Lee Boulevard) with a dozen beds and six private rooms.