photo by: Chad Lawhorn

The future home of University of Kansas Orthopedic Clinic takes shape at the Wakarusa Corporate Centre at 18th and Wakarusa, Dec. 6, 2016.

There are a variety of reasons we ought to care about a new orthopedic clinic that is opening in west Lawrence: klutziness on a ladder, ill-advised attempts to actually jump while grabbing a rebound in pick-up basketball, and a disturbing trend of hurting ourselves while rising from an afternoon nap. But there is one reason that may trump them all: The clinic will be affiliated with the University of Kansas Hospital, marking the first time the giant KU medical complex has expanded into Lawrence.

I have confirmed that construction work that’s underway at the Wakarusa Corporate Centre at 18th and Wakarusa is indeed for a new KU facility. A building permit from the city lists the location as the future home of University of Kansas Orthopedic Clinic, although I’m not sure if that is the official name or just a placeholder for building permit purposes. Folks in the local development industry also are talking privately about the KU project.

It is a buzzworthy project. On the one hand it is just an orthopedic clinic. It is not like KU Hospital has announced plans to create a satellite hospital in the community. But, it is notable that KU Hospital has decided to have a fairly significant facility in Lawrence. For whatever reason, KU’s medical center operations have stayed out of Lawrence proper.

photo by: Chad Lawhorn

The future home of University of Kansas Orthopedic Clinic takes shape at the Wakarusa Corporate Centre at 18th and Wakarusa, Dec. 6, 2016.

Over the years, KU Hospital has become the regional behemoth in the health care industry. More recently, the hospital has become more aggressive in expanding its footprint. In September KU Hospital announced that it had reached a preliminary agreement with the leaders of the Hays Medical Center to jointly operate that key hospital in western Kansas. Then in November the KU Hospital announced a partnership with Stormont-Vail Health of Topeka. That “collaborative partnership” will allow KU Hospital to enhance and expand its radiation oncology services in Topeka.

There are a couple of reasons the clinic is attracting attention. One is that the facility apparently has wooed a big-time name in Lawrence orthopedic medicine. My understanding is that Dr. Jeffrey Randall, who often does orthopedic work for KU athletes and others, will be part of the new practice. An official at OrthoKansas, has confirmed that Randall has left that practice. I have a call into Randall.

UPDATE: I have received some information from KU Hospital, and the spokesman there has confirmed that Randall will be part of the new clinic. Here is the complete statement from KU Hospital spokesman Dennis McCullough: “Dr. Jeff Randall, an Orthopedic Sports Medicine physician in Lawrence, Kansas, will be joining The University of Kansas Health System in mid-December, fulfilling a career goal to practice and teach at an academic medical center. We have identified clinic space at 18th and Wakarusa and are working with other health care organizations in Lawrence to identify collaborative practice opportunities.”

Another reason the deal is attracting attention is it is unclear just how big of a presence KU Hospital wants to have in Lawrence. The building permit filed at Lawrence City Hall notes that the work underway is phase one of a three-phase project. My understanding is that KU officials are building a temporary orthopedic office in one part of the building so that the practice can open quickly, perhaps later this month. A larger portion of the Wakarusa Corporate Centre also will be renovated to house the permanent facility. The temporary orthopedic offices then can be converted into other space, perhaps a physical rehabilitation facility. In all, I think the KU operation will have about 6,000 square feet of space, but I’ve heard rumblings that the group was interested in even more space.

I did talk briefly with the office manager for OrthoKansas. She said the Lawrence practice is gearing up for the new competition.

“We are always growing,” said Dani Aitken. “We just added two new surgeons in August, and we’re looking to expand our services here in town. We want to make sure people understand there are plenty of options to have their procedures done here in Lawrence.”

Where people choose to get their ACLs repaired and their hips replaced is big business. I don’t know how the new facility will operate, but, given its ties to KU Hospital, I would think it is possible that it would try to steer its patients to have procedures done at the KU Hospital facility in Kansas City, Kan.

For that reason, I’m certain that Lawrence Memorial Hospital leaders are watching this new development closely. I’ve got a call into LMH leadership. I, of course, asked the KU Hospital spokesman about what KU Hospital’s broader plans were for the Lawrence market. All I got was the statement that is printed above. However, the part of the statement that says KU is “working with other health care organizations in Lawrence to identify collaborative practice opportunities” is intriguing. I’ll let you know if there is anything interesting to report on that front.

photo by: Chad Lawhorn

The future home of University of Kansas Orthopedic Clinic takes shape at the Wakarusa Corporate Centre at 18th and Wakarusa, Dec. 6, 2016.

• While we’re talking about health care issues, let me pass along this article: It talks about how the concept of “micro hospitals” is coming to Johnson County.

The only thing I have ever found to be micro in a hospital is the gown in certain places that it shouldn’t be. But evidently there is a new concept in the hospital world: hospitals that have an emergency room and eight to 10 beds for patients who need overnight stays.

The Kansas City Star reports that St. Luke’s Health System of Kansas City has plans for at least four micro hospitals — in Roeland Park, Overland Park, Leawood and Kansas City, Kan.

I’m not suggesting that Lawrence is poised to get another hospital or needs another hospital. But the idea has come up before. The longest and largest meeting I’ve ever covered as a reporter was actually 20 years ago this month. It was a 1996 City Commission meeting about a plan for Columbia HCA to build a hospital in west Lawrence near Sixth and Folks Road. The City Commission meeting attracted such a crowd that it was held in the ballroom of the Holidome. The idea of a new for-profit hospital to compete with LMH sharply divided the community. HCA had first proposed a partnership with LMH, but when that was rejected it sought to build its own $20 million hospital. City commissioners, though, ultimately rejected the development proposal.

The article from The Star highlights that the micro hospitals cost about $10 million to $30 million to build, and can be brought to market much quicker than a traditional hospital. The micro hospitals often are located in areas where residents have good health insurance. They often have emergency rooms because the smaller hospitals sometimes can avoid the long lines that are frequent at larger ER departments.

Again, none of this means the Lawrence market 20 years later is poised to have another such debate about a second hospital, but it is worth noting how the hospital market is changing. Perhaps the most important aspect to note is that two very large players — KU Hospital and St. Luke’s Health System — appear to be in particularly active modes right now.