List of Oklahoma Black Primary Care Providers goes viral

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TULSA, Okla.–A Facebook post listing local Black primary care providers has gone viral, thanks to local resident Ebony Jones. 

“Are you looking for a Black OB-GYN or PCP who accepts SoonerCare or Medicare,” Jones posted Friday, showcasing 20 Black primary care providers from across Oklahoma.

The post has since garnered nearly 400 likes and nearly 2,000 shares on Facebook.

“(The providers) listened and made sure to be attentive, grateful to see us in a system where we usually feel uncomfortable and unwelcome,” Jones wrote.

Across the nation, Black doctors make up less than 6% of all providers, creating barriers for Black patients who want their healthcare workers to reflect their experiences and concerns.

The importance of Black Primary Care Providers

Meanwhile, according to a study by Provider Solutions and Development, when Black patients see Black providers, health outcomes are improved.  

This includes lowering the Black mortality rate, which lags behind White communities by three years. The maternal mortality rate for Black women is even more bleak, with Black women dying at 2.6 times the rate of White women. 

This is just one reason Ms. Jones started with a list of Black obstetrician and gynecologist providers who see women during pregnancy and throughout postpartum months.

Tulsa Birth Equity initiative also provides support for pregnant and postpartum Black women with their Queens Village Tulsa, a space for Black women to “encourage one another and engage in meaningful activities created by Black women to nurture, recharge, and empower each other.” 

Such spaces and providers are integral for Black patients.

“America has a long history of mistreating Black people in healthcare, from the Tuskegee Syphilis Study to forced sterilizations,” local nurse Latoya Smith told the Black Wall Street Times. “These events fuel a present-day mistrust of white providers, making Black patients more trusting of Black providers,” she said.

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Viral list excites locals in need of inclusive care

In a city where Black citizens make up only 15% of the population, finding Black primary care providers in Tulsa poses a unique challenge. However, Oklahoma State University Medical Center in particular has a vast array of Black physicians. OSU is also affiliated with Saint Francis Health System.

In one major U.S. city, focusing on Black healthcare is a priority, not just an afterthought. Dr. Ala Stanford of Philadelphia is the founder of Black Doctors Consortium, which she started during Covid to address racial disparities in Covid treatment and death. 

Now, the group takes aim at providing treatment and preventative care for Black residents in Philadelphia, with plans to expand nationwide. “We [Black doctors] take great pride in caring for our communities,” says Uché Blackstock, a Black doctor who also is founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity and a contributor for Yahoo Medical News. 

In Tulsa, Black patients are excited by the prospect of seeing healthcare providers who understand the needs of Black communities. Black mental health care workers are also at the forefront of such issues. The Tulsa Black Mental Health Alliance aims “to be a catalyst of healing and a beacon of light to activate liberated futures and bring restoration to communities of color.” 

And that’s just what Ms. Jones’ Facebook post has brought about for Black Tulsans. One reply on the viral thread simply stated, “When Black women thrive, we all thrive.”