Actions

NEUROLOGIST SHORTAGE: Tulsa woman struggles to find specialist

By: Naomi Keitt

Posted

and last updated

TULSA, Okla. — In the last few months, 2 News got several calls from Tulsans unable to get an appointment with a local neurologist.

One woman said she was pointed to Oklahoma City. Another said she was directed to Dallas.

Since retiring, Helen Scott spends a lot of time in the kitchen or the living room reliving her Michael Jackson Fan Club days.

She said she lives life to the fullest even though she’s been suffering from epilepsy since she was 8 years old.

“I think my mom said I probably had a real high fever,” said Helen Scott. “It may have been a seizure to start related to high fevers.”

Her medicine keeps her seizures under control but this summer a new problem prompted her doctor to refer her to a specialist.

Do you have something you think Naomi Keitt should look into?

You can email her at Naomi.Keitt@kjrh.com.

“What he was worried about, one of my x-rays showed, I think it said, a five-millimeter tumor on my brain,” said Scott.

It was non-cancerous and not causing issues, but it needed to be checked out. The problem is that Scott couldn’t get a local appointment.

“They were full, or they weren’t taking patients,” said Scott. “It did make me feel very nervous.”

She’s not the only one. A shortage of neurologists is an issue across the country.

A new report by the Association of American Medical Colleges said the U.S. will continue to face a shortage of physicians, and we could see a gap of 46,000 specialists by 2036.

Caliber Healthcare Solutions saidthe U.S. has seen less than 600 new neurologists in the last decade.

“That is very disturbing,” said Scott.

As far as causes, reports say there are two primary factors: an aging population and an increased prevalence of chronic neurological conditions.

For Scott, her primary care physician continues to provide her with seizure medicine and monitors the tumor until she can see a specialist.

Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --