When a loved one is sick and medical treatment is not close by, the last thing you need to worry about is a place to stay. Hospitality House of Tulsa knows that a clean place to stay along with a good cup of coffee can make all the difference in treatment and recovery. And with gas prices on the rise, the need is even greater.
Recently, we interviewed HH of Tulsa’s President & CEO Toni Moore and Mike McBride, Regional President & COO of Ascension St. John Health System, on YurView’s Doing More show. And we learned the comfort and care at Hospitality House of Tulsa is more than safe lodging. It’s compassionate care for families in medical crisis. Watch the interview above, or read the full video transcription below (lightly edited for clarity).
Hospitality House of Tulsa’s Mission
Toni Moore, President & CEO, HH of Tulsa (00:05) – Hospitality House of Tulsa’s mission is to provide a home away from home for families caring for loved ones in medical crisis. And we do this every day by providing lodging, meals, peer support, transportation assistance and so much more for families and patients that have to travel into our Tulsa hospitals.
(00:23) – We have 13 Family Suites here that can accommodate up to four family members in each suite. Each one has a warming kitchen with a dorm size refrigerator, microwave, toaster oven, coffeemaker. And we stock pantry items and snacks in there for them as well. They have their own living room, dining area, bedroom, full size bath. We can accommodate about 450 families a year.
Lodging for Families
TM (00:45) – Tulsa actually sees about 25,000 patients a year that travel from at least 50 miles up to 800 miles away. Because of the great demand for affordable medical lodging, we run 100% lodging almost every night of the year, and maintain a waiting list. When you live in a metro area, you have access to quality health care. But that is not the same for families that live in rural parts of the state.
Mike McBride, President & COO, Ascension St. John (01:09) – When people have to travel to Tulsa for health care, of course their minds are on a lot of other things. And medical care is expensive. But then there’s extra expenses they have because of the distance they have to travel. So clearly, there’s the cost of gas and transportation to get here. But then when they’re here, they’re typically here for multiple days. So they have to think about lodging, and meals and all the incidentals that might be involved in being here for their loved one.
TM (01:37) – For many families, that puts them in a financial crisis. It’s important for us to provide this service to decrease their out of pocket expenses and help them.
Compassionate Care
MM (01:46) – Hospitality House provides comfort, provides lodging, food, hospitality, prayer, all those things that help take care of the family, so the family can help take care of the patients.
TM (01:58) – Since we do have a waiting list every day, we have just opened a new program called Lodgingly. Lodgingly provides deeply discounted hotel rooms near hospitals. So families can access those through our website, lodgingly.com. In addition, families also receive restaurant discounts, prayer support, transportation assistance, and even pet boarding if needed. Lodgingly saves you an additional 10 to 25% more than what other third party booking sites can do.
(02:29) – Lodgingly is available in the Tulsa area right now. But if your community would like to add Lodgingly to its medical lodging programs, you can contact us at lodgingly.com. Anyone who would like to help this cause, they can go to our website at hhtulsa.org and find ways to volunteer, organize supply drives or donate to help these families in crisis.
Join us in offering a ‘home away from home’ for families caring for loved ones in medical crisis. Give today at hhtulsa.org.
