As conversations continue between Emporia’s Newman Regional Health and Topeka’s Stormont Vail Health on local medical care, including the prospect for a new facility in west Emporia, city leadership maintains the need for both sides to reach an agreement.
Friday was a deadline date set by City Manager Trey Cocking in a letter dated July 19 to Newman Regional Health leadership with a Stormont annexation request for property at Roads 180 and G pending. City Manager Trey Cocking is encouraging both sides to keep the discussions moving forward, and the city’s current goal now is to get an update at an unspecified later date.
There is currently no adjusted time period for an annexation request. Cocking has said the city will begin considering Stormont’s annexation request as a standalone item if there is no agreement or no progress towards an agreement.
Both Stormont and Newman Regional are determining their shared or separate roles in local and area health care as Stormont continues moving towards a medical facility now estimated at $44 million. The building would house existing services through the Cotton O’Neil clinic space at Newman Regional Health along with several new services, but it would not include surgery — a major concern with Newman Regional because of the better than $4 million it could lose through duplicated surgery services. Earlier this month, Newman Regional CEO Cathy Pimple said she was still concerned about the potential for advanced imaging through Stormont and a resulting $2 million loss for Newman Regional due to duplication.
Both sides have told KVOE News talks continue, but neither side has given updates on how much progress has been made aside from surgery.