Tulsa’s teaching hospital needs a big boost in state funding to keep from severely cutting services or possibly closing its’ doors. An $18.25 million appropriation is being sought for the OSU Medical Center. OSU-Tulsa President Howard Barnett doesn’t believe lawmakers will allow the hospital to close, but he says it’s a matter of getting enough money to allow the facility to thrive and achieve its’ mission or merely survive.
Federal dollars that helped keep the hospital operating are being eliminated, and Barnett says a larger subsidy from the state is needed to close the gap.