Shawnee County Commission Summary
Week of June 16, 2026
GraceMed closes Highland Park clinic amid staffing shortages
Future of vacant Highland Park clinic building remains undecided
Commissioner questions GraceMed's commitment to Shawnee County
Local clinic staff plummets from 16 to five since 2020
State licensing delays hold up new Topeka pediatrician
Medical and dental patient encounters drop at GraceMed
Health center turns to artificial intelligence and telehealth to bridge provider gap
Medicaid disenrollment drives up uninsured patient rates
GraceMed closes Highland Park clinic amid staffing shortages
TOPEKA, Kan. — GraceMed chief executive officer Dr. Julie Elder confirmed the closure of the provider's Highland Park clinic on Southeast California Avenue during Monday's Shawnee County Commission work session. The federally qualified health center has consolidated its Topeka operations to the Capitol Family Clinic on Huntoon Street. Elder cited an inability to sustain two working clinics due to a severe shortage of clinical staff, a move that leaves East Topeka residents with fewer direct health care access points.
Future of vacant Highland Park clinic building remains undecided
TOPEKA, Kan. — With the doors officially closed at GraceMed's Highland Park clinic, the future of the East Topeka building remains uncertain. A county commissioner who spoke during the work session noted that the original agreement with Shawnee County included a clawback provision that has since expired. While GraceMed has received inquiries about the property over the past week, chief executive officer Dr. Julie Elder stated the GraceMed board of directors has no immediate plans to sell or liquidate the building, keeping all options open for the time being.
Commissioner questions GraceMed's commitment to Shawnee County
SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — A county commissioner expressed deep concern over the steady decline of GraceMed's services in Shawnee County, noting the organization's local staff has been cut in half over the last five years. The commissioner reminded the Board of County Commissioners that Shawnee County transitioned its federally qualified health center status to GraceMed a decade ago. Pointing to a severe drop in pediatric services and the closure of the East Topeka clinic, the commissioner asked chief executive officer Dr. Julie Elder about GraceMed's ongoing focus on Shawnee County — a sentiment Elder strongly affirmed despite ongoing staffing struggles.
Local clinic staff plummets from 16 to five since 2020
TOPEKA, Kan. — The medical staff at GraceMed's Topeka locations has plummeted from 16 clinicians prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to just five today, chief executive officer Dr. Julie Elder reported. The remaining local team consists of a podiatrist, a dentist, an optometrist, a nurse practitioner and a clinical pharmacist. Elder attributed the exodus to a national trend of medical professionals leaving primary care for non-clinical roles, taking higher-paying specialty jobs or leaving the industry entirely due to burnout.
State licensing delays hold up new Topeka pediatrician
TOPEKA, Kan. — Bureaucratic delays at the state level are preventing a new pediatrician from beginning work in Topeka. GraceMed chief executive officer Dr. Julie Elder told county commissioners that the physician, who previously held a Kansas license, has been waiting months for the State of Kansas to process his reinstatement. Elder asked the Shawnee County Commission to advocate at the state level to expedite medical licensing, noting the delays prevent the doctor from being credentialed with insurance companies and directly hinder local pediatric care. Elder did not identify the physician by name during the meeting.
Medical and dental patient encounters drop at GraceMed
TOPEKA, Kan. — Severe staffing shortages have directly impacted GraceMed's capacity to treat Shawnee County patients over the past year. According to the organization's annual report for the recently concluded 2025 calendar year, medical encounters dropped from roughly 9,600 in 2024 to 8,800 in 2025. Dental visits saw an even steeper decline, falling from 7,000 to 5,800 encounters in the same timeframe following the departure of a full-time dentist at the Capitol Family Clinic.
Health center turns to artificial intelligence and telehealth to bridge provider gap
TOPEKA, Kan. — To maximize the efficiency of a diminished workforce, GraceMed is increasingly relying on artificial intelligence and telehealth services. Clinicians are using AI-based transcription software to write medical notes and reduce administrative burnout, while the information technology department utilizes AI to protect electronic health records from cyberattacks. Additionally, the clinic has implemented internal telehealth systems where patients can take their vitals with support staff in person but consult with a doctor located at a different facility via video.
Medicaid disenrollment drives up uninsured patient rates
TOPEKA, Kan. — Following the unwinding of the federal government's continuous Medicaid enrollment mandate, which began in April 2023 and continued through 2024, GraceMed is seeing a sharp increase in uninsured patients. Chief executive officer Dr. Julie Elder reported that approximately 40 percent of the Capitol Family Clinic's patients are now categorized as self-pay, significantly higher than the organization's 26 percent network-wide average. She noted that many patients lost coverage during the re-enrollment process or are being priced out of marketplace insurance plans, citing one local mother whose premium jumped from $200 to $1,700 a month, though Elder did not specify whether the new rate was for an unsubsidized or family plan.
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