Here is an update on some of what’s happening at The Surgery Center of Oklahoma.

We have recently decided to accept credit cards for payment of services. The price online will be adjusted at the time of payment to reflect the percentage the respective card company charges us.  We are very excited to see how this develops.

I am travelling and speaking all over the country about medical free markets and price transparency.  The greatest demand for speaking opportunities seems to be from self-funded employers and their benefits administrators who are interested in sending us referrals from out of state. 

Our new website and logo will be launched/unveiled in a few weeks now.  This new website will allow me to nimbly change prices as new competitors in the marketplace appear, will allow me to add new procedures with pricing and will also allow for video display….even some video blogs.  This has been a huge undertaking but will allow for us to showcase our facility and staff.  

Many of you already know that I have been on the John Stossel Show and CNBC.  There is much more national media exposure to come.  As I wrote recently, this message has been received as “good news in a bad news industry.”  It is hard to criticize cheaper and better, although the statists always seem to find a way.  Our local media are beginning to get in on the act, interestingly risking alienating some of their largest media buyers in doing so.

Patrick McGuigan, modern-day Joseph Sobran, has asked me to contribute a biweekly column to his publications, Capitol Beat OK, The City Sentinel and OklahomaWatchdog.org.  I look forward to contributing to his fine outlets.  Many of the writings will be blogs, but will reach a large audience otherwise not exposed to our message.

We are in the process of organizing a national symposium on free markets in medicine and price transparency, involving everyone in the medical industry that is participating, businesses who are increasingly demanding this, benefit administrators who “get it,” and think tanks and even policy makers.  I’ll keep you posted on this as it progresses.  

G. Keith Smith, M.D.