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GraceMed reports drop in encounters amid staffing shortages; expands training partnerships
Summary
GraceMed, a faith-based community clinic network, told county commissioners that patient encounters fell in 2024 amid provider shortages, and described workforce-development partnerships and technology upgrades intended to restore capacity and access.
Dr. Julie Elder, chief medical officer and interim CEO of GraceMed, briefed Shawnee County commissioners on March 10 about the clinic's 2024 operations, workforce challenges and training partnerships designed to increase provider capacity.
Elder said GraceMed recorded 9,682 encounters in 2024, down from 13,511 in 2023, which she attributed primarily to staffing shortages. "We have suffered from workforce shortages and we continue to recruit for providers," she said, and added the organization is pursuing educational partnerships and new training programs to build a pipeline of clinicians.
GraceMed continues to offer medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services at sliding-scale fees. Elder said dental encounters increased in 2024 while the number of self-pay patients rose overall. She said about one-third of patients are Hispanic or Latino and that roughly 20% of patients need Spanish-language services; the organization uses a video-based live-translation service called Voice and provides sign-language options.
Elder described steps GraceMed has taken on technology and security: electronic health-record upgrades, two-factor authentication, a patient portal and appointment-text reminders. She also described workforce-development efforts including a nurse-practitioner fellowship through the Community Care Network of Kansas and an internal medical-assistant training program; the organization plans to start an internal dental-assistant training program.
Commissioners asked whether GraceMed has considered recruiting volunteer physicians. Elder said the clinic has engaged semi-retired local physicians who volunteer and that the organization welcomes such arrangements.
Why it matters: GraceMed serves uninsured and underinsured residents in Topeka and Shawnee County; staffing-driven capacity constraints reduce local access to primary, dental and behavioral health services for low-income patients.
What’s next: GraceMed plans to continue recruitment, expand internal training programs and grow educational partnerships to stabilize provider staffing and restore encounter volumes.
