June 26, 2012

OHCA Contacts: Jo Kilgore - (405) 522-7474, Carter Kimble - (405) 522-7510

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority is proud to announce and welcome Dr. Sylvia Lopez in the role as Chief Medical Officer for the agency.

For the last four years, Lopez has served the OHCA as a Medical Director in Medical Review-Disease Management division. Effective July 1, she will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of J. Paul Keenan, M.D.

Prior to joining OHCA, Lopez spent 25 years in clinical practice as a neonatologist in Oklahoma serving both Mercy Health Center and Presbyterian Hospital. She received her undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at Austin followed by matriculation at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas. Upon graduating medical school, Lopez did her residency at Parkland Hospital/Children’s Medical Center in Dallas in general pediatrics then a neonatology fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles.

“We look forward to working with her in this new capacity and wish her well,” said OHCA State Medicaid Director Garth Splinter, M.D. “We are sure she will bring the same high level of professionalism, experience and quality of work to this new position as she has already demonstrated.”
Lopez said she is honored to be stepping into this position.

“This is a very challenging and exciting time in health care in this state and in the nation – a time when this agency can have a positive impact on the delivery of healthcare and patient outcomes,” she said. “I want to promote access to care for our patients, but also make sure it is quality health care. I look forward to being a part of that effort.”

This position exists to provide leadership, direction, and management within OHCA by overseeing a variety of operations in SoonerCare (Oklahoma Medicaid), including the Durable Medical, the Medical Professional Services program, dental services, Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement, Medical Home and Health Access Network programs.

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