Stormont Vail Health Statement About Emporia OB/GYN Clinic

Two of Stormont Vail Health’s obstetrics/gynecology physicians at our Cotton O’Neil Emporia Clinic - Christina Faulkner, M.D., and Deshala Castille, D.O. - will be transitioning to Newman Regional Health, at the end of the year.

Stormont Vail will continue providing women and children’s services in Emporia through our clinic. For pregnant individuals, obstetrical services in Emporia are available through our family practice physicians, J. Samuel Tovar, M.D., and Pamela Harrison, M.D., and OB/GYN Megan Northup, M.D. Our pediatrician Christy Jansen, M.D., is available for the care of newborns and children.

“Ensuring that we provide safe, exceptional care to our patients, especially those expecting the birth of a child and newborns, is of utmost importance. Stormont Vail is a long-time healthcare partner to the Emporia community - we intend to be here for patients today and in the future,” said Rob Kenagy, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Stormont Vail Health.

Stormont Vail will ensure continuity of care for the patients of our OB/GYN practice in Emporia by connecting them with our Stormont Vail Emporia family practice/internal medicine providers, obstetrical care at other Stormont Vail locations or obstetrics providers in Emporia. Dr. Northup will be moving her practice to Stormont Vail’s Topeka OB/GYN Lincoln Center Clinic, with a limited practice in Emporia.

Providing high quality, safe care at the start of a new life is extremely important, as well as continued medical care through the lifespan. This includes comprehensive health services provided by Stormont Vail to mothers and children.

Stormont Vail has OB/GYN providers in Topeka and Junction City, as well as primary care providers located in our clinics in Emporia and nine other northeast Kansas communities. Stormont Vail offers care to individuals with high-risk pregnancies through its Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic in Topeka and outreach clinics in the region.

A Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is located at Stormont Vail’s Topeka hospital where premature and ill newborns are cared for when that level of care is needed. Many of the infants cared for each year in the NICU arrive shortly after birth, with the infant and family receiving care until the child is medically stable to return to their home community.

In addition, the Topeka hospital has a pediatric intensive care unit to care for older babies and up. Stormont Vail Health looks forward to continuing to provide care through these critical services to Emporia’s most vulnerable babies and children.

Drs. Faulkner and Castille were recruited to the region by Stormont Vail and the organization is proud that they are staying in Emporia to continue to ensure Emporia mothers and babies receive great care. We look forward to continuing to work with them as the Stormont Vail Emporia team continues providing excellent pediatric, primary care and specialty care to the Emporia and Lyon County area.