The Tulsa Medical Access Programs (Tulsa MAPs) are a critical initiative meticulously designed to significantly enhance healthcare accessibility for the most vulnerable residents of the Tulsa metropolitan area. One of these initiatives is our Access to Care Program, designed to target low-income and underserved adults, aged 18 to 64, who face substantial barriers to obtaining necessary medical care. The program functions as a coordinated safety net, ensuring that financial limitations do not preclude essential health management for this key demographic.
The foundational mission of Tulsa MAPs is to address the acute and chronic needs of uninsured adults by facilitating robust access to essential medical and dental services. This is achieved through a strategically diversified set of mechanisms that leverage existing community assets and provide crucial financial support where it is needed most.
Safety net partner clinics use Tulsa MAPs online system to request an Electronic Care Authorization (ECA) for each service. If approved, the clinic provides the referral and authorization number to the appropriate scheduling source (e.g. Ascension St. John Central Scheduling or the specialist office), who then contacts the patient. Tulsa MAPs receives and pays the resulting bill.
The referring clinic acts as the patient’s medical home, coordinating all care and managing the patient’s health outcomes. Safety net partner clinics utilize the Tulsa MAPs online system to submit a referral authorization request for each service. Upon approval, the clinic furnishes the referral and authorization number to the relevant scheduling source (e.g., Ascension St. John Central Scheduling or the specialist's office), which subsequently contacts the patient. Tulsa MAPs receives and remits payment for the resulting invoice. The referring clinic functions as the patient's medical home, coordinating all aspects of care and managing the patient's health outcomes.