Weighing In On Wellness | New Health Kansas
Dr. Ekwensi Griffith, a doctor of osteopathic medicine, gives nearly all of his patients his personal cell phone number.
It’s an unusual practice for a physician, but it reflects the accountability-focused approach at New Health Kansas, the medical spa and wellness clinic he founded with his wife, Angela Griffith, a registered nurse.
Dr. Griffith played college football at Kansas State University, where he was an All-Conference nose guard under Coach Bill Snyder, before completing medical school in Philadelphia and a residency in emergency medicine in the Bronx. He has spent more than two decades in Kansas health care since. Angela is also a K-State alum and the couple has four children.
Their medical practice, located at 2219 S.W. 29th St. in Topeka with additional locations in Lenexa and Manhattan, employs certified nurses and nurse practitioners who work with patients to create individualized health plans.
“Most of our programs are built around accountability,” said Dr. Griffith, who still works clinically in emergency medicine. “People have to check in. That’s often the biggest struggle with lifestyle changes.”
FINDING THE BALANCE
New Health Kansas began as a small, weekend-only venture focused on hormone replacement therapy. Dr. Griffith originally envisioned it as a side project, but he noticed an unmet need.
“I’ve always been a little bit of an entrepreneur, and we thought it would be a nice part-time thing, just kind of a cool additional revenue source,” he said. “We started out focusing on hormones, and then we realized that a lot of people also needed weight loss support and that hormones alone weren’t the whole answer.”
For many patients, hormonal imbalance and weight gain were intertwined challenges that required a multi-layered approach. The clinic structures care around a five-phase framework that moves patients from baseline testing and weight loss through hormone stabilization, functional wellness, aesthetics and finally mobility and pain support. The phases are designed to overlap and build on one another rather than function as a strict linear progression.
As demand grew, the Griffiths hired staff and expanded to multiple Kansas locations.
The clinic’s approach begins with understanding what each patient wants to achieve.
Dr. Griffith emphasizes that wellness goals vary widely. Some patients want to lose weight before a major event. Others want more energy or the ability to walk without becoming winded.
“Not everyone needs to look like a movie star,” he said. “It’s about asking what you really want.”
Angela says treatment plans must fit patients’ lives.
“We create a plan that allows them to live and be happy,” she said.
Angela personally speaks with new patients during an initial call of about 15 minutes, covering goals, medical history, options and pricing. Patients then choose how they’d like to receive care: either in-person or virtual appointments, or a combination of both. The clinic built a telehealth model during the pandemic that many patients continue to use for its flexibility. Each individualized plan may include a nutrition program, medication, access to a support group and regular check-ins.
The clinic offers payment plans through Cherry, a third-party financing service that allows patients to pay over time with no hard credit check required.
Dr. Gurneet Matharoo, a physician specializing in obesity and family medicine, also provides care. She travels to the Topeka location twice a month as a resource for women who prefer a female provider for issues specific to women’s health.
KEEPING TABS ON WELLNESS
Accountability takes different forms depending on the patient. Some receive weekly text messages while others have scheduled virtual or in-person meetings.
Providers ask specific questions: Did you walk 10 to 15 minutes at your child’s practice today? Have you been able to fit movement into your week?
“While some patients are self-motivated, many struggle with consistency,” Dr. Griffith said. “That’s where our programs help.”
Over time, services expanded to include medical spa offerings such as injectables, laser hair removal and CoolSculpting.
Angela points to transformations she has witnessed in patients who rebuild confidence that influences other areas of their lives.
Dr. Griffith recalls one patient story that has stayed with him. A married couple, both patients, were each working toward their individual goals before their wedding day. They lived together but kept their progress separate, each telling Dr. Griffith not to reveal how much the other had lost. Both reached their goals before the wedding.“
One thing we’ve learned,” Angela said, “is that people want to feel better. They want to feel stronger, healthier and more capable of enjoying life.”
Dr. Griffith sums it up plainly: “Our job is to do the best we can to hear them.”
