It’s no secret that Oklahoma’s health care system — like its educational structure — has become a major discussion these days.
Many experts point to our health care numbers and call them low: There have been discussions about health care’s overall ranking — 49th by the Commonwealth Fund’s Scorecard on State Health System Performance, 42nd in infant mortality, 48th in access and affordability.
There have also been complaints about health care service areas in the state and the types of services available.
In Southwestern Oklahoma, the concerns and the efforts to address those concerns are big and robust, but it’s obvious that our leaders do care and are working to address issues.
Still, there’s more to the discussion about Oklahoma’s health care system than its numbers, its locations and its services.
I know this firsthand. Several weeks ago, things changed for me. What I thought would be a morning information session turned into a trip to the emergency room.
And what I thought was a sore shoulder became a brain tumor.
Then, just a little more than a week ago, I had surgery for that brain tumor — all in Oklahoma.
And while I came through the surgery as a survivor with another chance, I observed, as I ventured through this process, the big component that is being left out of the discussion about our state’s medical system.
It’s our medical staff. And there, Oklahoma is top fight. I learned this during the process. My surgeon and my doctors were amazing and the nurses redefined what I thought the job was.
In fact, the nurses I learned the biggest lessons from were from this area: southwestern Oklahoma. Melissa was from near Duncan, two other nurses from Lawton and Daphne Bynum’s hometown is Elgin.
These professionals didn’t just take care of my medical needs; they also supported the human side of my treatment.
Bynum, the last nurse I dealt with during my stay, made sure the proper tests were done and I received my medicine when needed. But what she did above and beyond was connect with my wife and me on a human level.
She let us know she cared and that she was there to make sure I would be okay. She made me feel cared for, and she went out of her way to make sure my wife and I knew she was there to help me during the most difficult time of my life.
She answered our questions, explained the process, and worked to still our fears.
She was a game changer in my treatment.
I find it interesting that part of the state’s medical infrastructure isn’t being talked about like it should. While finding resources and government support for our medical system is important, seeing who is working in that system and seeing just how far Oklahomans will go to help their patients is a game changer.
Professionals like Bynum are a major key to our system.
Not only do they refine medical treatment, but they also demonstrate the quality of the employees from southwestern Oklahoma.
It’s time for everyone in the discussion to fold medical professionals like Bynum and others into that debate.
We would all be better off.
M. Scott Carter is an award-winning political and investigative reporter with more than 40years’ experience covering federal and state government and politics in Oklahoma. He can be reached at scott. carter(a)swoknews. com.