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TULSA, OKLAHOMA - Persons living with HIV and AIDS in the 918 area code can find progressive, comprehensive primary care and accessible medical support through the Health Care Center at 2345 Southwest Boulevard in Tulsa according to Dixie Stuart, nurse consultant for the Cherokee Nation Health Service.

Midge Elliott, a nurse and coordinator for the HIV/AIDS program, says the program delivers primary health care services according to national standards of care.

"Our goal is to meet the primary health care needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS in northeastern Oklahoma by developing a collaborative working relationship with the Cherokee Nation and other health care providers in the 918 area code", Elliott said. The program has served more than 620 individuals during the past five years, nearly one-fourth of whom reside in rural areas.

Stuart said specialized care for HIV/AIDS patients is important not only because of the devastating physical effects of the disease, but also because of the associated social and emotional trauma. She also said this patient resource is important to the Cherokee Nation and the Indian Health Service hospitals in Tahlequah and Claremore because physicians can easily consult by phone with specialists who manage HIV/AIDS patients specifically, and because the costs of providing combination anti-retroviral medications often used to treat the disease can be prohibitive.

"The OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine will provide assistance in securing these medications for our patients", Stuart said.

The only eligibility requirement for entering the program is confirmation of HIV status. A sliding fee scale is available, and no one is denied service due to inability to pay, according to Elliott. The HIV/AIDS program available through the Health Care Center is a service of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and is made possible by a Ryan White Title III grant from the Health Resources Services Administration.

Anyone who may need the service or who is interested in more information may contact Lisa Riggs, Patient Care Coordinator. Stuart added that prospective patients may schedule professional consultations with Dr. Damon Baker. Information and in-take is available by calling (918) 561-8589.