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Healthcare in Oklahoma

Oklahoma faces significant healthcare workforce challenges, with approximately 8,200 active physicians and one of the lowest per capita rates in the nation at 206 per 100,000. Oklahoma City and Tulsa serve as the state's healthcare hubs, housing the major hospital systems and the vast majority of specialists. The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine are the state's two medical schools, working to expand the physician pipeline. Rural Oklahoma, particularly the southeastern and western parts of the state, faces severe physician shortages, with many counties having no primary care physician. The state's large Native American population is served by tribal health systems and Indian Health Service facilities, including the Cherokee Nation Health Services and the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center. Oklahoma's health outcomes rank among the poorest nationally, with high rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and premature death. The state has expanded Medicaid after voter approval in 2020, extending coverage to approximately 200,000 residents. Telehealth programs have been critical for extending care to remote communities. Lawton, Enid, and Muskogee serve as secondary healthcare centers, but the state's overall healthcare infrastructure requires significant investment to address decades of underresourcing.