I received the following e-mail this morning:


From: "Curtis, Michael"
Date: December 30, 2008 19:34:35 CST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Facility closing notice
Distribution: EMS Agencies and Hospitals

BONE & JOINT HOSPITAL IN OKLAHOMA CITY WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2009 AT 12:03 AM. ALL PATIENTS REQUESTING SERVICE AT BONE AND JOINT SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO ST ANTHONY HOSPITAL. ALL REQUEST FOR REFERAL SHOULD GO THROUGH ST ANTHONY HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. THE BONE & JOINT FACILITY WILL BE ABSORBED BY ST ANTHONY HOSPITAL. PLEASE DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS TO OFFICIALS AT ST ANTHONY HOSPITAL.

Mike Curtis, Coordinator
Medical Emergency Response Center, Region 6&8

I checked the DOK and News9 websites, and neither has anything about it. Has anyone heard about this?

If this only affects the midtown facility across from Saint Anthony, then it probably isn't a big surprise. If it involves the new facility on Broadway Extension, then that IS big, bad news.

You are thinking of McBride. They are no longer connected to Bone & Joint, which is owned by the same parent as St. Anthony, SSM Healthcare of Oklahoma.

You are thinking of McBride. They are no longer connected to Bone & Joint, which is owned by the same parent as St. Anthony, SSM Healthcare of Oklahoma.

Didn't realize McBride and B&J had separate ownership. Guess I'm revealing my age. :)

Yeah they had a split.

This email isn't entirely correct. Working story now.
Here's the revised email that went out (not sure if it was before or after my inquiry):

ONE & JOINT HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IN OKLAHOMA CITY WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS BEGINNING DECEMBER 31, 2008 AT MIDNIGHT. ALL PATIENTS REQUESTING SERVICE AT BONE AND JOINT SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO ST ANTHONY HOSPITAL EMERGERNCY DEPARTMENT. ALL REQUEST FOR REFERAL SHOULD GO THROUGH ST ANTHONY HOSPITAL. THE BONE & JOINT HOSPITAL WILL OPERATE UNDER THE ST ANTHONY HOSPITAL LICENSE AND MEDICARE NUMBER. PLEASE DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS TO OFFICIALS AT ST ANTHONY HOSPITAL.





This message is visible to all EMS, Hospitals and Public Health agencies in the State of Oklahoma with access to the EMResource. If there is anything else I can do for you, please do not hesitate to call.


Happy and safe New Years,


Mike Curtis, Coordinator


Medical Emergency Responce Center


Oklahoma DHS Regions Six & Eight


405-297-7130


curtism@emsa.net

Bone & Joint has a small emergency room attached to it and I heard that was the part which was closing. I used that ER once. It was great! I was the only one there. That's probably why it's closing.

That makes more sense. As a specialty Emergency Room, B&J is probably unnecessary.

That makes more sense. As a specialty Emergency Room, B&J is probably unnecessary.

I would imagine the patient census had something to do with the closure of B&J's ER.

Not mention McBride's ER is probably taking many of the patients away from there.

Actually , I am very disaponted with this news. My daughter is a athlete , the first time she was injured, we went to Midwest Regional ER, spent several hours there, the next two times, we went to Bone and Joint ER, was in and out in less than 1 hr on both occasions

Steve's article:


Two Oklahoma City hospitals to combine ERs
Bone & Joint, St. Anthony to maintain services
BY STEVE LACKMEYER
Published: January 1, 2009

St. Anthony Hospital officials say an e-mail circulating on the Internet mistakenly gives the impression its Bone & Joint Hospital is shutting down today.

SSM Health Care of Oklahoma, which owns the two hospitals, confirmed it will begin providing services today under the same St. Anthony Medicare number as the Bone & Joint Hospital. Both emergency rooms will be combined, operating now at St. Anthony Hospital. The Bone & Joint Hospital, however, will continue all other routine business at 1111 N Dewey Ave.

Structuring both St. Anthony and Bone & Joint hospitals under one provider number enables the consolidation of orthopedic and musculoskeletal services at Bone & Joint Hospital, officials said.

"Combining provider numbers provides opportunities for efficiencies and at the same time advances Bone & Joint’s nationally recognized program in orthopedics,” said Chris Howard, president of SSM.

The change will result in the name becoming Bone and Joint Hospital at St. Anthony. The hospital’s affiliation with McBride Clinic ended in 2006 after McBride opened a hospital at Britton Road and Broadway Extension.

In addition to centralizing orthopedic services, SSM has developed a management company between the hospital and the physicians.

"This model allows physicians the opportunity to provide leadership in the operational, quality and business development aspects of Bone and Joint Hospital,” said Chad Aduddell, president of Bone and Joint Hospital at St. Anthony.

"Our physician partners are committed to providing world-class orthopedic care as we continue to serve the orthopedic health care needs of the community.”