Discussions centered on the quality of healthcare, accessibility to services, drug availability and issues of disrespect from providers. More than 20 IHS patients lined up to recount stories about using the Lawton Indian Hospital that included allegations of misdiagnoses and prolonged waiting times for care.

 

LAWTON, Okla. – Tales of health care woes flowed at Comanche Nation as users of the local Indian Health Services (IHS) gathered Tuesday to tell their stories. The meeting, called by Comanche chairman Wallace Coffey, was open to all Comanche Nation members and local hospital users, invited guests and tribal officials.

Before testimonials began, Coffey told roughly 75 attendees that any information gathered would be used to determine a course of action. While not explicitly discussed, a bulletin announcing the meeting said the gathering would help “determine the advisability of legal action.”

Discussions centered on the quality of healthcare, accessibility to services, drug availability and issues of disrespect from providers. More than 20 IHS patients lined up to recount stories about using the Lawton Indian Hospital that included allegations of misdiagnoses and prolonged waiting times for care.

In his opening statement, Chairman Coffey expressed concern about the federal Commission Corps who help staff the medical facility and tales of disrespect to Indian patients. Coffey sits on the facility’s health board, but said he often felt limited as to what he could personally do because the tribes filled only an advisory position.

“I don’t want to go to the Oklahoma City Health Board, I want to go to Congress,” he said. “It seems like we’re overlooked and forgotten in southwest Oklahoma.”

Discussion quickly turned into testimonials on health care as members of many area tribes told their experiences at the facility. Barbara Gooden, a Comanche Nation citizen with diabetes and arthritis, said she has waited weeks for an appointment due to overbooking and often comes up empty-handed for an appointment when one of her diseases flares. Abrupt pain is a common occurrence for her, she said.

“I don’t know what the answer is,” Gooden said. “But something needs to be done to make things better. I want our tribal leaders to become involved in our care.”

While the testimonies have no legal impact now, patients who wished to speak confidentially were also heard. The tribe convened an executive session to hear and record stories from those who wished to maintain privacy. All patients’ stories were recorded by Comanche Nation.

Big on the list of complaints by patients who testified non-confidentially were tales of lackluster care by physicians and disinterested emergency room staff. Charlotte McCurtain, Comanche, said she went to the ER (emergency room) after she fell and heard a crunch. After an x-ray, she was cleared to go home but later found that she had crushed a vertebra in her back.

Many patients also expressed concern that one provider at the Lawton IHS, Dr. William Reid, would be dismissed. Most characterized him as a doctor that listened to them and said that to lose him would cause a reversal of any good care they found at the facility.

“He cares about the Indian people and I hate to see him go,” said Comanche member, Marion Simmons.

Vera Hicks Hudson, Choctaw, said that she was a full-blood who was recently diagnosed with cancer. She vehemently defended Reid.

“Seems like I finally get a doctor that cares but then he don’t stay long,” she said. “I wonder why?”

Complaints about the Lawton Indian Hospital also came from a former Service Unit Director (SUD) of the facility. Hickory Starr, Cherokee, said he has used IHS all his life and insists the problems he was hearing retold are no surprise. He deals with heart problems and diabetes.

“This is not something new,” he said. “They have been doing things the same old way and they can’t change.”

Talk touched briefly on lack of funding or the supposed lack of funding for the hospital. Coffey said that his numbers show that the facility funneled in roughly $16 million in third party payments last year. The hospital operates on about $45 million annually with an estimated $19 million going to personnel costs.

Most patients who testified wanted to divert some of the operating funds to boost contract health costs that could help patients that required specialists’ care. Other suggestions included a proposal for a new facility run by the area tribes like facilities found in Chickasaw or Choctaw jurisdictions.

Barring legal action, one tribal official pointed to another remedy. Lori Gooday Ware, Fort Sill Apache vice-chairman, said that the health advisory board recently passed a resolution asking for an audit of the facility to address concerns. The people’s complaints were a warning signal, she said.

“I feel for these people,” she said of earlier testimonials. “I’m angry, I’m hurt and I’m not going to let it go.”

Chairman Coffey said no IHS officials were invited to the meeting and at this point it was a fact-finding effort. The meeting broke for lunch and continued through the afternoon. Attorneys for the Comanche Nation were also present.

 Lawton Indian Hospital director, John Bear, said the local facility was not authorized to comment and referred the Native Times to the Oklahoma City Area office.  IHS area officials did not respond by the time this story posted.

More than 75 people attended the meeting to discuss their dismay with the quality of care received at the Lawton, Okla. IHS facility.

PHOTO BY S.E. RUCKMAN