Comanche County Memorial Hospital (CCMH) stands as a beacon of medical excellence in Southwest Oklahoma, combining the resources and sophistication of a major teaching hospital with the efficiency and community focus of an independent facility. This 265-bed acute care hospital serves as the regional referral center for over 315,000 residents, maintaining its position as the dominant healthcare provider through continuous investment in technology, physician recruitment, and facility expansion. Your practice will thrive in an environment where physician autonomy is valued, bureaucratic obstacles are minimized, and the focus remains squarely on delivering exceptional patient care.
Established in 1951 as a county-owned governmental facility, CCMH has evolved into a comprehensive medical center employing 2,200 staff members and credentialing over 450 physicians and providers. The hospital's independence from large corporate systems means decisions are made locally by leaders who live in the community and understand its unique needs. This local governance, overseen by a five-member Board of Trustees, ensures rapid decision-making and physician input in strategic planning – a refreshing change from the corporate healthcare environment where physicians often feel like mere employees rather than partners.
Beyond the cardiovascular program, CCMH operates multiple distinguished service lines that create a truly integrated healthcare system. The Leah M. Fitch Cancer Center of Southwest Oklahoma, a 23,000 square-foot facility on the hospital campus, represents a unique collaboration between three regional hospitals to provide state-of-the-art oncology care. This center offers medical oncology, radiation oncology with IMRT/IGRT and stereotactic treatments, hematology services, and a full-service laboratory – eliminating the need for patients to travel to Oklahoma City or Dallas for cancer care.
The Drewry Family Emergency Center provides Level III trauma care with 24/7 Survival Flight helicopter service on-site, ensuring rapid response for the region's most critical cases. The facility's comprehensive surgical services include robotic surgery programs in orthopedics and general surgery, open-heart surgery capabilities, and specialized neurosurgical services. The Women's Health service line encompasses high-risk obstetrics with NICU capabilities, while the behavioral health unit addresses the mental health needs often overlooked by for-profit systems.
The cardiovascular service line represents one of CCMH's crown jewels, with dedicated facilities including a standalone cardiology clinic housing all cardiac services under one roof. The hospital operates two functioning cath labs with a third being converted to a hybrid suite, enabling everything from routine diagnostics to complex structural heart procedures. The program's growth trajectory includes partnerships with outlying facilities through the "One Call" transfer system, ensuring acute cardiac patients arrive within 30 minutes via the hospital's on-site helicopter service.
Your practice benefits from state-of-the-art technology including new ultrasound equipment (five machines recently installed), nuclear medicine capabilities performing 12-14 studies daily, and comprehensive imaging services. The upcoming Meditech EMR implementation in August 2026 will unify all hospital and clinic systems, eliminating the current fragmentation between different platforms and streamlining patient care across the continuum.
CCMH's commitment to innovation extends beyond traditional hospital services. The recent partnership with Clearway Health for specialty pharmacy services ensures patients with complex chronic conditions receive coordinated medication management and support. The hospital's collaboration with Great Plains Technology Center has created a pipeline of trained medical technicians, while partnerships with Southwestern Oklahoma State University provide educational pathways for healthcare professionals. The hospital foundation, established in 1993, continuously funds technology upgrades, nurse education, and capital projects that keep CCMH at the forefront of medical advancement.
What distinguishes CCMH extends beyond facilities and technology to the culture of servant leadership permeating the organization. Department directors work alongside staff, executives maintain open-door policies, and the focus remains on supporting physicians to deliver exceptional care. The hospital's commitment to the community manifests in its willingness to invest in services that larger for-profit systems might abandon – maintaining comprehensive obstetrics, behavioral health, and rehabilitation services alongside profitable service lines.
The facility serves a uniquely diverse population including Native American communities, military families from nearby Fort Sill, and rural residents from across Southwest Oklahoma. This diversity creates rich clinical experiences and meaningful opportunities to address healthcare disparities. With the nearest major medical centers 90 minutes away in Oklahoma City, you'll provide definitive care for complex cases that would typically be transferred in other communities, enhancing both your skills and professional satisfaction.
Located in Lawton, the hospital offers physicians the ideal combination of professional sophistication and personal quality of life. The community provides excellent schools, affordable housing, abundant outdoor recreation in the nearby Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, and easy access to metropolitan amenities in Oklahoma City and Dallas-Fort Worth. For physicians seeking to escape the congestion, cost, and complexity of metropolitan practice while maintaining access to advanced medical resources, CCMH represents an exceptional opportunity to practice medicine the way it was meant to be practiced.