Welcome to the blog site for Surgery Center of Oklahoma! Our facility is unique in having posted our “cash pay” prices online and we have attracted many patients with high deductibles or no insurance at all from all over the United States as well as from Canada. We hope to have dialogue on this site that falls into the following categories:
Free market health care
Transparency of health care pricing
Advantages of physician ownership of facilities
Medical Tourism
Comments from former patients
Again, welcome and we look forward to your comments.
G. Keith Smith, M.D.
Hi Dr. Smith.
I will bookmark this site. I’m always very interested in the information you provide about the above mentioned topics.
Sincerely,
Lynne Erickson
Comment by Lynne Erickson — March 31, 2011 @ 4:08 pm
I frequent the Surgery Center often and am always impressed with the friendly, efficient, professional staff and doctors. There are many people who have utilized the services at the Surgery Center and they truly appreciate the care they recieved at the Surgery Center. I would highly recommend anyone considering surgery to “think” outside of the box and go to a facility that truly sets the standard of care.
Comment by MR — April 5, 2011 @ 5:50 pm
Hopefully this can generate some dialogue and spark new ideas.
GKS
Comment by surgerycenterok — April 13, 2011 @ 6:26 pm
I live in Canada and I wholeheartedly agree with you – both countries need to reform their systems. In Canada, medical practitioners are placed under the constraints of a bureaucratic system which places limits on everything to reduce costs for themselves (the bureaucrats and unions who run the system). It’s difficult to find complex, specialized care in Canada, far easier in the US! Keep up the good work!
Comment by Kartik — October 20, 2011 @ 11:35 am
Welcome, Canadian readers. In spite of the Canadian bureaucratic example in health care, the goons in Washington are determined. Maybe we will all come to Canada for our care! Maybe I’ll open a surgery center in Canada for Americans!
Comment by surgerycenterok — October 21, 2011 @ 12:37 pm
Could you give me some of the examples of Canadian patients you have encountered Dr. Smith? I’m deeply interested in ways to reform the medical care (and the insurance) system of both countries, Canada and the US!
Comment by Kartik — October 21, 2011 @ 10:49 pm
I mean I read of some on your blog but out of curiosity, I’d like to hear more, if you don’t mind.
Comment by Kartik — October 23, 2011 @ 9:05 pm
Most of the patients sent to Oklahoma City from Canada require joint replacement. This apparently became a public relations nightmare in Canada and the surgeons were allowed to do more cases for a short period of time to decrease the backlog. This caused different groups of patients to come this way. Several cardiac procedures for coronary artery disease and for arrythmias have been helped here and multiple patients with hip issues that are amenable to outpatient surgery. Orthopedic, ear/nose and throat, and general surgery issues like hernias make up the vast majority of the patients with cardiac numbers probably taking last place.
Comment by surgerycenterok — October 26, 2011 @ 9:44 am
I know a lot of cancer patients from Canada go to the United States – a lot more for other life saving care too. Because a lot of treatment they require is just not available in Canada (or only sparingly available). It’s unfortunate!
Comment by Kartik — October 27, 2011 @ 2:23 pm