Rural Hospital CEO Pushing For Nurse Practitioner Bill

The CEO of Cordell Memorial Hospital in Western Oklahoma says he hasn’t been able to hire a much-needed doctor, because nobody wants to come there. 

Landon Hise says the solution to the problem is House Bill 1013, which Hise says is currently stuck in a Senate committee. Hise says the bill would allow nurse practitioners full authority to practice medicine. 

“Oklahoma ranks 49th in physician to patient ratio, and 76 out of 77 counties are considered a primary carrier shortage area,” he said. “And this would eliminate that.” 

State Senator Irven Yen is also a highly-respected anesthesiologist in Oklahoma City.  Tuesday he told News 9 “I don’t think we should allow someone who has not gone to medical school do what doctors do,” he said.