Oklahoma/Arkansas

Chapter Information

Incorporated 2007

Executive Officers

President: Laura Fischer, MD MS
Secretary: Zhamak Khorgami, MD
Treasurer: Mohammad Farukhi, MD
Past President: Hamilton Le, MD FASMBS; Luis Gorospe, MD
STAR (State Access to Care Representative) OK: Roy Greenway, Jr., MD
IH STAR (State Access to Care Representative) OK: Carah Horn, MBA-HCA BSN RN
STAR (State Access to Care Representative) AR: Tripurari Mishra, MD
IH STAR (State Access to Care Representative) AR: Shirley Bearden, RN CBN

Chapter Meetings

Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting at the ASMBS Annual Meeting 2022 in Dallas, TX
Tuesday, June 7th
5:30-6:30pm Central
Hyatt Regency Dallas/Bryan Beeman B Room
Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting January 21, 2021 – Zoom annual meeting to discuss telemedicine, insurance coverage, access to care, and elective surgery restrictions.
Phone calls and emails among members, but no meetings due to restrictions.
Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting January 2, 2020
Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting January 10, 2019
Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting at ObesityWeek 2018
Tuesday, November 13
5:15-6:15pm Central
Omni Nashville Hotel, 250 5th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203, Gibson Boardroom
Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting April 12, 2018 in Tulsa, OK
Oklahoma/Arkansas Annual Chapter Meeting November 5-6th, 2017
Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting July 2017 at Bodine in Tulsa, OK
Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting May 11, 2017 at Bodine in Tulsa, OK
Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting April 13, 2017 in Tulsa, OK
Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting January 12, 2017 at 7pm
Norman, OK
Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter Meeting August 11, 2016 in Tulsa, OK
Quarterly meetings will be the 2nd Thursday of each Quarter: January, April, August, and October
August 20, 2015 – Hosted by the Oklahoma ASMBS
May 2015: First annual meeting to restart chapter

Chapter Updates

2020

All activities for 2020 were cancelled due to COVID.

2018

Walk from Obesity Spring 2018

2017

State Insurance – Healthchoice began coverage for state employees and teachers in January 2017; 250,000 covered lives affected statewide.
Spring 2017 Bariatric Ball

2016

We were successful in lobbying the state insurance, HealthChoice, to provide bariatric benefits for teachers and state employees starting January 1, 2017.
May 14, 2016 Walk from Obesity – 125 participants

2015

Lobbying state health insurance for bariatric benefits; they are conducting their own pilot to prove feasibility and cost effect benefits.

Support Groups

Bailey Clinic, Owasso, OK http://www.baileybariatrics.com/support-groups
Weight Wise, Edmond, OK www.weightwise.com
Integris Weight Loss, Oklahoma City, OK www.integrisok.com
Journey Clinic, Norman, OK www.journeyclinic.com
OU, Oklahoma City, OK
OU-Tulsa, Tulsa, OK