Concerns still abound for Newman Regional Health’s leadership team as Stormont Vail continues planning for a brand-new medical facility in far west Emporia.
Not surprisingly, the Stormont plan — and Newman Regional’s response — were a big part of the Newman Regional Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday. Chief Executive Officer Cathy Pimple says her team and the community can support a new medical office building, which is what Stormont called its proposed campus near Roads 180 and G. However, Pimple says the Newman Regional administration still has deep concerns about the proposal.
Well before Wednesday’s board meeting and throughout earlier stages of this public conversation that’s now nearly 18 months old, hospital administrators have estimated close to $8 million in annual losses if ambulatory surgery, imaging and other services were duplicated.
During the meeting Wednesday, Chief Medical Officer Dr Alana Longwell also said the Stormont plan would provide no new jobs and no financial benefit to Emporia taxpayers while triggering increased costs due to extending and/or expanding infrastructure and, possibly, public transportation. Adding to that, board member Nancy Wells says all the building’s profits and most related purchases for gasoline, meals and other items would go to Topeka instead of staying in Emporia. Pimple says Newman Regional plans to keep talking with city residents and leaders about the changing healthcare landscape in Emporia.
Along with these developments, Newman Regional Health is in the early stages of its system-level affiliation with LMH Health and University of Kansas Health System. Pimple says the new agreement gives Newman Regional Health opportunities to explore new or expanded services for the area.
Stormont has had its Cotton O’Neil Clinic inside the Newman Regional Health Medical Partners building for over 30 years, but began mentioning plans in summer of 2023 to move out, mentioning concerns about facility maintenance, a lack of integrated services and other concerns as reasons for that potential move. Newman Regional Health then proposed a series of zoning code text changes that were largely approved by Lyon County but not by the Emporia City Commission, which instead voted late last year to annex the property into the city limits — setting the stage for Planning Commission review, including Tuesday’s positive recommendation for the rezoning and the preliminary plat, or layout. The final plat goes before the Planning Commission on March 18. Stormont has said it expects a City Commission vote the following day, but City Manager Trey Cocking says a vote likely won’t happen until the commission’s action meeting April 16.
Regardless, Stormont plans to start construction by spring 2026, pending city approval. It also plans move all its staff to the new facility and transfer all current Cotton O’Neil services to the new space as well.
Services to transfer from Emporia’s Cotton O’Neil Clinic to Stormont Vail’s proposed medical office building near Roads 180 and G
Primary Care
*Family Medicine
*Internal Medicine
*Pediatrics
*Behavioral Health
*Case Management
*Social Work
Specialty Medicine
*Allergy, Asthma, Immunology
*Cardiology
*Endocrinology
*Nephrology
*Occupational Health
*Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Imaging
Laboratory Services
