ISSUE STATEMENTS
Health Care Statement
Emporia needs strong healthcare to support current residents, attract new ones, and drive growth. Our healthcare network—including Newman Regional Health, Stormont Vail Health, CrossWinds, CareArc, and others—must operate at a high level for Emporia to thrive.
Emporia is uniquely positioned with top-tier care through NRH’s partnerships with Lawrence Memorial Hospital and KU Med as well as SV’s ties to the Mayo Clinic and Children’s Mercy. This gives our community rare access to advanced healthcare close to home.
Stormont Vail’s investment in its Emporia clinic further strengthens our healthcare options and positions us as a potential regional healthcare hub. While the City doesn’t oversee healthcare directly, I’ll do all I can to support high-quality care for all residents.
Will Stormont Vail operate an ambulatory surgery center at their new clinic?
Stormont Vail has shared that they have “no plans to operate a surgical center in Emporia, KS.” When the City annexed the land SV purchased (November, 2024), they agreed to a five-year moratorium on surgical services. Per the Development Agreement approved by the City Commission on June 4, 2025 (5-0 vote), there is a six-year moratorium on surgical services.
Why not exclude SV from ever offering surgical services?
There are a couple considerations.
1. We can’t predict the future. If NRH is ever unable to meet demand, limiting SV’s ability to provide services would hurt the community. Collaboration with SV benefits both Emporia and the region.
2. Kansas isn’t a Certificate of Need state, so communities like Emporia can’t legally require healthcare providers to prove demand before offering services. Local regulations could lead to legal challenges against the City for violating state law.
Are you supportive of a policy like a zoning text change to limit duplication of healthcare services?
A. Yes. The proposed zoning change predates my time on the commission. I am open to exploring such a policy, possibly using Newton, KS, as a model.
However, I’m hesitant to support any change that would impact current projects like Stormont Vail’s. They planned their project under existing rules, and changing them mid-process would be unfair. If I had a development underway and had the rules change in the middle of the process, then I would feel unfairly treated. I believe in treating others as I’d want to be treated.