Heartland Medical issue no confidence vote in State Health Department leadership

The Heartland Medical Direction sent a letter, on behalf of EMS agency directors, to Gov. Kevin Stitt and other state leaders Friday to express a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the EMS and Trauma Divisions within the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH).

In the letter they say,

"On behalf of EMS agency directors across Oklahoma, we write to formally express a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the EMS and Trauma Divisions within the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH). The ongoing mismanagement, regulatory failures, and lack of accountability have jeopardized public safety, compromised emergency medical care, and created unnecessary burdens on EMS agencies throughout the state."

The letter is addressed to Stitt, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, Rep. Kyle Hilbert, Pro Tem Lonnie, Commisioner of Health Keith Reed, and members of the Oklahoma State Board of Health.

Seven areas of lack of competency and oversight are outlined in the letter, including,

1. OERSSIRF grant mismanagement
2. Agency licensing failures
3. Medic licensing issues
4. Lack of stakeholder engagement
5. General administrative failures
6. Failure to uphold statutory and regulatory requirements for continuous quality improvement
7. Failure to approve and implement required psychomotor examination process

The Heartland Medical Direction says that there has been a consistent pattern of inaction and inefficiency with OSDH leadership, despite multiple attempts to engage in meaningful dialogue. They say the mismanagement of OSDH has directly impacted the stability and effectiveness of EMS agencies, the ability of professionals to obtain and maintain licenses, and the safety of trauma victims and emergency patients statewide.

Heatland says they are asking lawmakers to intervene to address these systematic failures, replace current leadership, and ensure accountability by mandating increased transparency, stakeholder engagement, and measurable performance improvements.

The full letter can be read below.