Practicing Medicine in Oklahoma City: Why Community Matters

Since 2014, I have been living and working in Oklahoma City, and since 2017, I have been a hospitalist at Norman Regional Hospital. During this period, I've observed how fragmented care, restricted access, lengthy appointment waits, and hurried visits can make patients feel disconnected and underserved. Community-based care provides an alternative approach focused on continuity, trust, and accessibility.

Community is a vital aspect of overall health. Robust social connections and trustworthy relationships significantly enhance both physical and mental well-being. Numerous examples globally demonstrate that close-knit communities are linked to healthier and happier populations. Primary care should reinforce these foundations, rather than undermine them. This principle is fundamental to my approach to practicing medicine.

Being embedded in the community I serve matters. I live in the Mesta Park neighborhood, raise my family here, and interact with patients well beyond clinic walls. That shared investment creates accountability and strengthens the physician–patient relationship. When doctors know their community—and patients know their doctor—care becomes more thoughtful, proactive, and effective.

This emphasis on community is why I provide discounted membership rates for public school teachers and staff. Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the well-being, stability, and future of our community and children. It can be challenging for teachers to take time away from their work to attend a doctor's appointment. They often face waiting room delays, late appointments, and brief interactions with the doctor. I aim to improve this by making healthcare more seamlessly integrated into my patients' lives. Supporting educators is a small way to give back to the system that supports our families and neighborhoods daily.

By practicing locally and offering a Direct Primary Care model, I’m able to spend more time with patients, improve access, and build long-term partnerships focused on health optimization and longevity. In a healthcare system that often feels impersonal and inefficient, community-centered care remains one of the most powerful tools we have.

For me, there’s no better place to practice that kind of medicine than right here in Oklahoma City, and right here in my neighborhood that I love.