Lee's Summit Medical Center expands bariatric program

Lee’s Summit Medical Center’s bariatric program has recently moved from an off-campus location to the new 52,000-SF, three-story medical office building on the Lee’s Summit Medical Center campus.

The $17 million state-of-the-art building was completed in summer 2020 and included project partners Turner Construction, HCP Medical Office Properties, Bremner Real Estate, ACI Boland Architects and Hereford-Dooley Architects.

The change will give the bariatrics program a larger, updated space with more capabilities to treat patients.

“We are pleased that Lee’s Summit Medical Center is expanding the level of quality care for the residents of Lee’s Summit and surrounding communities,” said Rick McDowell, Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council president and CEO.

Lee’s Summit Medical Center’s bariatric program has six providers who perform various types of surgical and non-surgical procedures.

“Access to healthcare is a significant contributor to the quality of life in our community and we are fortunate to have tremendous health resources in Lee’s Summit,” McDowell said.

Bariatric treatment can greatly reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions such as sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, according to Dr. John Tann, one of the bariatric surgeons at Lee’s Summit Medical Center. In some cases, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes, bariatric treatment has even been shown to cure certain conditions.

“My passion is to treat patients with metabolic disease and the main side effect we see from that is excess weight. I have many tools to use that will help patients reach their goals of leading a healthier lifestyle from diet modifications, nutritional support, medication and minimally invasive procedures and surgery. Lee’s Summit Medical Center gives us access to the latest in technology and resources,” said Dr. Tann.

According to Lee’s Summit Medical Center, the need for bariatric services is growing - especially after seeing how bariatric conditions were disproportionately negatively impacted by COVID-19.

The bariatric and metabolic suite is one of the many specialty services Lee’s Summit Medical Center provides. Other specialty physician services include:

• Midwest Heart and Vascular Specialists

• KC Vascular and General Surgery

• Kansas City Gastroenterology & Hepatology

• Kansas City Neurology Associates

• Colorectal Surgery Associates

• Neuroscience Institute at Lee’s Summit

SMSD Aquatic Center now open thanks to creative partnership

The Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) Aquatic Center is now open for local students – as well as the entire community - thanks to a unique partnership between the school district, Johnson County Parks and Recreation District (JCPRD) and the City of Lenexa.

Planning the facility, which sits in the heart of the new Lenexa City Center in Lenexa, Ks., began in February 2015 as a result of a $223 million bond issue approved by SMSD voters.

The 54,000 SF building includes an innovative design, expansive seating and potential configurations for hosting competitive swim meets.

"Very early on we wanted the design of the building to emulate the sense of moving water. The rolling roof, the shimmering glass, the multi-colored metal panels and the light sculpture in the lobby are a few of the elements that are inspired by water in motion,” said Duane Cash, lead architect on the project with ACI Boland Architects.

The natatorium features a 100-meter olympic-sized pool with a deep end for diving; plus, two 1- meter and two 3-meter diving boards. The pool can be configured in many ways depending on the meet via two movable bulkheads.

The center was designed for education and instruction and includes an additional instructional pool with warmer water and a shallower depth. A third of the pool includes a movable floor that allows for a change of depth from zero inches to seven feet, depending on the activity.

“All of these elements and many more were all about creating a great place to be. Many aquatic centers are perceived to be dark, stuffy, closed off facilities and we wanted to push back against those notions. We wanted this building to be open and inviting, light-filled and healthy. We wanted to foster a sense of community, education, opportunity, athleticism and competition,” Cash said.

The design celebrates the spirit of competition with intentionally designed layers of transparency provided in each area of the building so that viewers, both inside and out, can see events happening within the building.

“We were excited to be a part of the great public plaza that the city had created. With that in mind we wanted (it) to be open and full of light. I envisioned pedestrians walking by or cars driving down 87th Street getting curious about the activities inside and wanting to become involved,” Cash said.

The land for the aquatic center was donated by the City of Lenexa to SMSD and the City also contributed towards the 220-stall parking garage, located adjacent to the aquatic center. JCPRD will operate and provide programming for the aquatic center.

Other partners on the SMSD Aquatic Center project include Counsilman-Hunsaker & Associates, ME Engineers, Bob D. Campbell, BHC Rhodes, Vireo and JE Dunn Construction.