New medical clinics and community centers in Wichita to serve in-need populations
The senior population often is an overlooked one, and that’s particularly so for older people without a lot of resources. Miami-based ChenMed would like to change that in Wichita.
The company is bringing at least three Dedicated Senior Medical Centers to Wichita and may open a fourth as well.
ChenMed is a “very mission-driven, faith-based company that is focused on helping the underserved,” said Frank Clepper, who is regional vice president for business in Missouri, Tennessee and Kansas.
Clepper is based in the St. Louis area, but some Wichitans may remember him from his former job as COO of Delta Dental of Kansas.
ChenMed spends $3.5 million on each clinic, each of which provides primary care services but also acts as something of a community center.
“They’re beautiful facilities,” Clepper said.
“We’re proud of what we do. . . . We believe we’re a shining light on the hill in these communities.”
The focus is on patients 65 and older, but Clepper said the clinics also will see some 55 and older Medicare and Medicaid patients.
Clepper said that in many typical primary care practices, physicians have a patient base of 3,500 or more patients.
Once the Dedicated clinics are fully staffed, which will take about three and a half to four years, there will be a total of 2,500 to 3,500 patients at each clinic, with about 450 patients per physician.
“We’re a value-based company,” Clepper said.
He said that means it’s about getting paid by insurers to provide complete care.
“Because of that, we believe our model works the best.”
That means seeing patients on a monthly basis “or as often as we need to keep them out of the hospital.”
“What we’ve found in treating these populations . . . we have improved patient outcomes to the tune of about 30% overall.”
Clepper said the clinics want to detect diseases early and also determine social factors that can be contributing factors in people’s health and wellness.
“We believe that we’re providing a social anchor in our communities as well,” he said.
In addition to building strong doctor-patient relationships, ChenMed wants the clinics to function as community centers. There will be space for tai chi and health educations classes. There will be a coffee bar to encourage socialization as well.
The first permanent clinic will open at 2402 E. 13th St., which is the northeast corner of 13th and Grove, in late June.
The second one will open at 961 S. Glendale, which is in the Parklane Shopping Center at the southeast corner of Lincoln and Oliver, in July.
The third will open at 2021 N. Amidon, which is in New Leaf Plaza at the southwest corner of 21st and Amidon, in 2023.
ChenMed also is opening a temporary space at 1125 N. Topeka in March “primarily to get us up and going in the Wichita community,” Clepper said.
It’s a central location to train new staff, he said.
“It’s also an opportunity to create some connection with the communities that we’re moving into.”
Each clinic will offer primary care services with seven family practitioners and internists per clinic. There also will be a cardiologist, podiatrist and acupuncturist, for pain management, who can visit the clinics to treat patients.
In addition to having a medical director at each clinic, the company also will have licensed clinical social workers and community case managers.
Clepper said ChenMed is working with community organizations to help connect patients to services.
The company has almost 100 clinics in 19 regions.
In taking a slower approach to opening and fully staffing the clinics, Clepper said, “We’ve painted a growth curve that we believe is realistic.”
There is potential for a fourth clinic, though no decisions have been made.
“I have been an advocate for a clinic in the southwest portion of town,” Clepper said.
As important as medical care is, especially to people who may not have great access to it right now, Clepper said there’s a bigger overall mission as well.
He said the goal is “raising the community itself by being present in the community.”
