Comanche County Memorial Hospital and Southwestern Medical Merging Together

Two of Lawton's major hospitals, Southwestern Medical Center (SWMC) and Comanche County Memorial Hospital (CCMH), have made a major move in the medical community here in southwest Oklahoma. Soon, the two will join together and become the Memorial Health System of Southwest Oklahoma.

CCMH will be acquiring SWMC by the end of 2025, subject to regulatory requirements and standard closing conditions. The decision was unanimously approved by the CCMH Board of Directors and Comanche County Commissioners this week, according to the CCMH Press Release.

Medical professionals are hoping that the merge will help ensure continuity of care, expand service availability, and strengthen the medical network here in Lawton.

What should current patients expect?

Patients should still be able to continue seeing their same local doctors. Instead, they may notice different branding across signage at the current SWMC location and CCMH, digital platforms, patient communications and community outreach as the acquisition reaches completion.

According to Libby Ferguson, Interim CEO and Chief Nursing Officer at SWMC, "SWMC will be known as Memorial Health System’s Southwest campus, and we are excited to bring our talented teams together to operate as a unified, integrated system.”

What is the purpose of merging the two hospitals?

Many professionals in our community believe that joining them together will strengthen their networks and even offer more opportunities for patients needing care.

Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and CEO of CCMH, Brent Smith, says that "joining our two trusted local hospitals together will strengthen our ability to care for more people while protecting the values and relationships that have defined CCMH for decades."

They are also hoping that the move will help improve medical care by:

• Expanding capacity to meet demands in the area
• Enhanced access to specialty care
• Streamlined operations and faster response times
• Investments in modern equipment and facility upgrades

Overall, the decision to join the two hospitals together is intended to be for the greater good of all southwest Oklahoma communities.