MMH President & CEO Brian Whitfield

08/06/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16htTvqo6t/

07/29/2025

I am so incredibly grateful to all who partnered with us to relieve the burden on families! This year has been even more successful than last! I’ll see you all there on Saturday! Thank you to all who gave!

Also - a special “thank you,” to our hospital marketing team! (Kayla and Christy).

07/28/2025

Dear Lacey,

Thank you again for taking the time to join us in Idabel for the grand opening of our newly acquired and integrated Rural Health Clinic. Your presence meant a great deal to our team and community, and we appreciated the opportunity to share this important milestone with you.

I’m writing today, first and foremost, to extend congratulations to Senator Mullin for his role in supporting and passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). While the bill contains elements of promise—most notably the $50 billion allocation for rural hospitals, clinics, and healthcare infrastructure—I must also share, candidly, my deep concerns as a rural hospital administrator.

My chief worry lies in the language that appears to allow large technology firms and major health systems to access significant portions of this funding under the broad banner of “expanding rural access.” While innovation and collaboration are essential, this could open the door for powerful entities—often far removed from the realities of rural healthcare—to divert millions away from the very communities the legislation intends to support.

I respectfully urge Congress and CMS Administrator Dr. Oz to enact rigorous safeguards to ensure these funds are not siphoned off by well-funded interest groups and corporate lobbyists. These communities cannot afford another cycle of waste, fraud, or bureaucratic inefficiency. Every dollar must be directed where it is needed most—into sustaining frontline providers, critical access hospitals, rural clinics, and the fragile infrastructure that keeps care within reach for millions of Americans.

We need Senator Mullin to stand firmly for Oklahoma—to advocate for real oversight, transparency, and rural prioritization. This is a rare and powerful opportunity to deliver lasting impact. Let us not squander it.

With appreciation and urgency,

07/28/2025

Across the United States—and especially here in Oklahoma—rural hospitals are in crisis. More than 140 rural hospitals have closed nationwide since 2010. Communities are being left without emergency rooms, maternity care, and basic services. Families are forced to drive hours for care. The very heart of small-town America—its local hospital—is fading away.

But at McCurtain Memorial Hospital, we are choosing a different path.

We are choosing resilience.
We are choosing sustainability.
We are choosing our community.

Over the past two years, we’ve been working relentlessly to strengthen our financial foundation, expand our service lines, and forge strategic partnerships that will help us not just survive—but thrive.

Whether it’s modernizing our facilities, recruiting top-tier talent, or bringing new specialties to Southeast Oklahoma, we are committed to building a healthier future right here at home.

And we are not doing this alone. Through collaboration with local, regional, and state partners, we’re laying the groundwork for a healthcare system that will serve our neighbors for generations to come.

We know the odds.
We know the challenges.
And we also know the power of community.

McCurtain Memorial Hospital isn’t going anywhere.

We’re here to stay—for today, for tomorrow, and for decades to come.

Some have asked me what sets us apart from the trend of closures? My answer is simple: we are determined to survive. We are determined to put healthcare first. We are committed to saving jobs and saving the hospital!

06/13/2025

A Message from McCurtain Memorial Hospital: Growing Together for a Healthier Tomorrow

At McCurtain Memorial Hospital, we’re more than just a healthcare facility — we’re your neighbors, your family, and your partners in building a healthier community. Today, we want to share with you some important developments that reflect our deep commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our region, especially in areas where care is too often unavailable or overlooked.

Expanding Psychiatric Services — A Critical Need

We are actively working to introduce comprehensive psychiatric services that include geriatric, adult, and adolescent care. The need for accessible mental health care in Oklahoma has never been more urgent. Our state ranks among the highest in the nation for the number of people with untreated mental illness. Tragically, far too many individuals experiencing a mental health crisis end up in jail instead of getting the care they need. According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, people with serious mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed during a police encounter than other civilians — and jails have become de facto mental health facilities, a role they were never meant to play.

Su***de statistics are equally heartbreaking. Oklahoma has one of the highest su***de rates in the country. Among adolescents, su***de is the second leading cause of death. Adults and especially elderly Oklahomans — a group often suffering silently — are also at elevated risk. We simply must do better. That’s why we are committing to change this narrative in McCurtain County.

We’ve already taken a major step by engaging an architect to help us envision a future where mental health care is a cornerstone of our services. We are now in the process of bringing on an engineer to help determine the best path forward for expanding these services — whether that means repurposing space on the third floor of the hospital, utilizing our current medical office building, or constructing a brand new site.

Considering the Return of Labor & Delivery Services

We are also seriously exploring the reintroduction of Labor and Delivery services to McCurtain Memorial Hospital. This is a deeply personal decision for us, rooted in the stories and voices of countless families who have shared how important it is to be able to deliver babies close to home.

But we want to do it the right way — and only with a strong, lasting commitment from our state legislators to protect women’s and children’s health. We cannot afford to reopen this vital service only to be forced to close it again due to funding cuts. Our communities deserve stability and trust, and we’re advocating fiercely to ensure those values are upheld.

To support this effort, we’ve engaged a national recruitment firm to help us find two OBGYNs and/or Family Practice Obstetric (FPOB) physicians. We want the very best for McCurtain County — and that includes renovating our Women’s Unit from the ground up. We envision beautiful, comfortable, and modern spaces, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and designed to support mothers, babies, and families at every step of their journey.

A Hospital That Listens

We want you to know this: our hospital is growing. Our services are expanding. And most importantly, our ears and hearts are open.

As your CEO, I want to be accessible to you — not just in words, but in action. That’s why, starting this month, I’m setting aside two Thursday afternoons each month for 30-minute community appointments. These meetings are a space where you can share your thoughts, your needs, and your vision for our hospital. To schedule a time with me, just call Brooklyn Allen at 580-208-3100 or email her at adm@mmhok.com.

Returning to Bi-Weekly LIVE Forums

Many of you have asked, and I’ve heard you loud and clear — our bi-weekly LIVE forums will be returning soon. These sessions were some of the most meaningful ways I connected with this community, and I’m eager to bring them back with even more transparency, updates, and time for Q&A.

⸻

Together, we are shaping the future of health care in McCurtain County — and it starts with listening, planning, and acting with heart. Thank you for standing with us, and thank you for being part of the McCurtain Memorial Hospital family.

05/30/2025

Statement from Brian Whitfield, CEO of McCurtain Memorial Hospital
Re: Veto of Oklahoma House Bill 2298 (HB 2298)
Date: May 30, 2025

As the Chief Executive Officer of McCurtain Memorial Hospital, I want to address the recent veto of House Bill 2298 by Governor Kevin Stitt—a decision that has sparked important discussions across our healthcare communities, especially in rural Oklahoma.

📜 What HB 2298 Proposed

HB 2298 was a legislative effort designed to expand prescriptive authority for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)—including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse-midwives—granting them independent prescribing rights after meeting a stringent set of requirements. The bill would have required APRNs to complete a minimum of 6,240 hours of supervised clinical experience, as well as carry malpractice insurance and adhere to a formulary overseen by an advisory council.

The bill aimed to address a critical issue in our state: limited access to care in rural and underserved areas. In places like McCurtain County, where recruiting physicians is increasingly difficult, APRNs have filled vital gaps in our system, often serving as the frontline providers in primary care settings.

🏛️ Legislative Background

HB 2298, authored by Representative Kyle Hilbert and Senator Lonnie Paxton, passed both chambers of the Oklahoma Legislature with majority support. Despite this momentum, the bill was vetoed by the Governor on May 28, 2025.

It is worth noting that this was not the first attempt to modernize APRN scope of practice laws in Oklahoma. Similar legislation has been introduced in previous years—each time encountering concerns surrounding patient safety, oversight, and regulatory balance.

🩺 The Role of Nurse Practitioners in Rural Healthcare

In rural hospitals like ours, nurse practitioners are not only essential—they are indispensable. They provide competent, compassionate, and timely care in areas where physician shortages are the norm, not the exception. HB 2298 recognized this by requiring nurse practitioners to complete significant supervised practice in a hospital or clinical setting before achieving full prescriptive autonomy.

This stipulation would have ensured that independence was earned through experience and accountability, not granted prematurely.

💊 Addressing the Opioid Crisis: A Necessary Safeguard

While I support the general framework and direction of HB 2298, I must express a deep concern—one that must be addressed in any future version of this legislation: the absence of sufficient safeguards to combat opioid abuse.

Oklahoma continues to be ravaged by the opioid epidemic, a public health crisis that shows no signs of slowing. McCurtain County alone has witnessed the devastating human and economic toll of addiction, overdose, and lost lives. Expanding prescriptive authority without mechanisms for monitoring, accountability, and enforcement around opioid prescribing would be, in my view, a critical oversight.

I firmly believe that the vast majority of nurse practitioners are responsible and ethical providers, committed to evidence-based practice and patient safety. However, to grant limited or no oversight over controlled substance prescribing—particularly opioids—is not only risky, it could unintentionally fuel the very crisis we are all fighting to resolve.

I am personally aware of physicians who provide oversight of nurse practitioners in our county, who practice independently, who have dangerously ignored their obligation to not only monitor but regulate the prescribing of opioids. In some cases, physicians charge nurse practitioners thousands of dollars per month to be their supervising physician, yet provide no supervision. These dangerous and irresponsible practices must be met with swift and serious consequences for physicians who ignore their ethical duty.

🤝 Path Forward

It is my hope that a future legislative effort will revisit the promising elements of HB 2298—particularly its structured approach to supervised practice—while embedding stronger safeguards for opioid prescribing and abuse prevention. Rural Oklahoma needs this balance. Our patients deserve greater access to care, and our communities need assurance that this care will be safe, ethical, and well-regulated.

As healthcare leaders, legislators, and stakeholders, we must work together to craft legislation that respects both provider autonomy and patient protection. I remain committed to that goal and stand ready to support legislation that meets these vital standards.

Sincerely,
Brian Whitfield
Chief Executive Officer
McCurtain Memorial Hospital

09/17/2024

I am so proud of the people I work with:

https://www.facebook.com/100063749614949/posts/1031912508943727/?

A Press Release from hospital President and CEO, Brian Whitfield:

“This weekend, the incredible teamwork displayed by our team resulted in the healthy delivery of a beautiful new baby girl.

A mother was in active labor and being transported by EMS to a hospital in Talihina, Oklahoma when there was no choice but to divert to McCurtain Memorial Hospital emergency room.

There, emergency room nurses, the ER provider and our Hospitalist sprung into action.

ER provider, Heather Prentice, FNP, attended to the mother while Missy Pearce, FNP, on duty as Hospitalist, tended to the new baby girl.

Within minutes of arrival, the mother delivered a beautiful 5 pound, 10 ounce baby, measuring 18-and-a-half inches long.

Both Missy and Heather credited the exceptional work of their nurses who assisted them. The incredible nurses included Shannan Strawn, Beth Williams, Joshlynn Randolph and Kristina Garcia.

Registered Nurse, Beth Williams, acknowledged that this outcome was directly attributed to the mother’s prenatal care and the quick thinking teamwork of the staff.

Missy Pearce, with over 30 years of nursing experience and now a Practitioner, said she has to give one man credit for his incredible teaching and that’s the local “Father of all deliveries,” (referred to once) and that’s Dr. William “Bill” Herron.

Every day these incredible people save lives. I count it a privilege to call them friends and coworkers. These ladies and all of our employees serve this community well and they make us so proud.”

of Release #

09/16/2024

https://www.facebook.com/100063749614949/posts/1031203195681325/?

09/12/2024

Such an incredible team!

https://www.facebook.com/100063749614949/posts/1028659475935697/?

Today, Kena Allen - the hospitals CFO - (pictured front row, second from left) honored all of our Environmental Services team with a catered lunch. These employees are charged with ensuring that we have a clean facility.

Brenda Duckett, front row, second from right, has been at MMH for a combined 60 years in EVS and was hired six decades ago by her late father who ran the department.

Brenda said, “I started in the old hospital downtown at $1.30 an hour. I was making 75-cents an hour and Daddy offered me a job at $1.30 an hour and I said ‘sign me up.’” she said.

The EVS department has celebrated retirements recently of long-tenured employees such as Bill Shoals who worked nearly 50 years.

Casey Baker (left) leads the Environmental Services team.

Each year, the hospital celebrates “EVS Week,” and often this results in an appreciation lunch, gifts, recognition and celebration. Tomorrow, they will participate in a water balloon fight on the front lawn. Hospital CEO, Brian Whitfield (pictured right) said, “There’s no way I’m missing the balloon fight,” and intends to participate. When asked who his target will be, Brian said, “Hands down, Ms. Brenda.”