Access Denied - Oklahoma's health-care crisis

Is Oklahoma headed toward a crisis in access to health care? Health experts say yes – for many reasons. This three-part series takes a look at the problems, how it affects all Oklahomans and what can be done to change it.

Part 1 - Physician shortage contributes to looming health-care crisis

Oklahoma ranks last for health-care access, and the reasons for that are not going away anytime soon. It's an issue that will affect everyone, even if you have insurance and live in the Tulsa area. Right now, it's a battle that rural areas are fighting.

Part 2 - Rural Oklahoma health-care needs underserved, areas lack specialists

How much access Oklahomans have to health care depends on where they live. One part of the state doesn't have a single cardiologist. There's a county that has only one doctor. It may be hard to believe, but Tulsans face access issues as well.

Part 3 - Mid-level practitioners vital to sustain post-reform health care

Because of the physician shortage, physician assistants and nurse practitioners will play an even larger role in health care. They can't do everything physicians can but they can do a lot. Also, they have more time to spend with patients. Are there other solutions to help with the access problems facing our state?

Tulsa World Writer Shannon Muchmore wrote this series as part of the California Endowment Health Journalism Fellowships, a program of the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.

Contact Shannon at 918-581-8378 or shannon.muchmore@tulsaworld.com