OU President Joseph Harroz announced OU Health Physicians and hospitals will “merge ... into one” in an email to the OU community.
In the email, Harroz wrote the merger is expected to be finalized by July 1. A single enterprise will bring “immense benefits” to Oklahoma, students, employees, and patients, he wrote.
“A fully integrated, comprehensive academic health system is critical to Oklahoma’s future health outcomes,” Harroz wrote. “Nearly every other successful academic health system in the nation has an integrated clinical structure. What we provide — research-driven care — is entirely unique in our state, so it is incumbent upon us to join together in delivering to Oklahomans the highest quality care possible.”
Harroz wrote Oklahomans have traveled to other states to find treatment options “fueled by innovation” due to researchers and physicians working “side-by-side.” He wrote this will now be “in the heart of Oklahoma under the OU banner.”
“This structural change will unleash talent and collaboration across our faculty practice, clinics and hospitals in a way that will position us to be among the top tier of academic health systems in the nation,” Harroz said. “And most importantly, a unified OU Health will dramatically improve the patient experience.”
Harroz wrote the new OU Health will make patient care between clinics and hospitals “seamless,” improve overall quality of care, attract the “brightest researchers, educators and doctors,” advance treatment options and “rapidly accelerate” the growth of the “education pipeline for health professionals” in Oklahoma.
“We have a responsibility to all Oklahomans to deliver world-class health care, train tomorrow’s health professionals and meet the toughest medical challenges with pioneering research and innovation,” Harroz said. “This next critical step, the merging of our efforts, puts us in the best possible position to continue our life-changing work for our patients, students, and state.”
