Amberwell Lansing Clinic

10/06/2026

It's PA Week, and we're celebrating the phenomenal physician assistants/associates at Amberwell! PAs are highly trained medical providers who do it all—examining patients, diagnosing illnesses, and writing prescriptions.

Our versatile PA team currently serves our communities in primary care, surgical care, orthopedics and sports medicine, occupational health, and emergency care.

To honor them this year, we created custom trading cards featuring each provider's profile. You can check out the full collection attached to this post to learn more about their backgrounds and specialties.

Thank you to our PA team for the high-quality, compassionate care you deliver every day! Amberwell is grateful to have you.

09/24/2026

Sepsis starts with an infection. So the best way to avoid sepsis is to avoid infections.

Wash your hands. Clean hands before eating, after using the bathroom, and after touching garbage or animals. Clean and cover cuts until they heal. Watch for signs of worsening redness, swelling, or pus, and seek medical care if a wound does not heal. Avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home when you feel unwell. Stay current on flu and pneumonia vaccines. Keep diabetes, lung disease, and other ongoing conditions well managed.

Some people are more likely to develop sepsis: adults over 65, babies, people living with chronic conditions, anyone recovering from surgery or a hospital stay, and anyone who has had sepsis before.

And whoever you are, if an infection is not getting better, do not wait it out.

09/22/2026

Sepsis is a medical emergency. These are the four signs to know.

T: Temperature, higher or lower than normal
I: Infection, one you have or think you might have
M: Mental decline, confusion, sleepiness, hard to wake up
E: Extremely ill, severe pain, shortness of breath, or a feeling that something is very wrong

You do not need all four.

If someone with an infection starts showing these signs, call 911 or get to the nearest emergency room. Do not wait to see if it passes.

And say the word sepsis to the care team. Saying it out loud gets it looked at right away.

Emergency care is available around the clock at Amberwell Atchison and Amberwell Hiawatha.

*The graphic is from the Sepsis Alliance.

09/17/2026

ost people think sepsis is something you catch in a hospital.

It is not. Most cases start at home, with an ordinary infection that got worse instead of better.

About 1.7 million adults get sepsis every year in the US. About one in five will not survive it.

Sepsis moves fast. Treatment works, and it works best when caught early.

If you have an infection and you suddenly feel much worse, don’t wait it out. Ask your provider straight out: “could this be sepsis?”

09/16/2026

This week is National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, marking 50 years of the observance. We want to celebrate the occasion by recognizing our own rehabilitation teams. They are among the best at what they do, and our communities are fortunate to have them.

Rehabilitation is one of the few places in healthcare where a patient and a therapist spend real time together, week after week, working toward something specific. Our therapists get to know their patients' goals. They know which grandchild the patient wants to lift, which garden needs planting, which job someone is trying to get back to. That kind of attention doesn't scale easily, and it's not something a bigger facility automatically does better.

Rehabilitation services at Amberwell include physical, occupational, speech therapy, and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. Our therapists also offer specialized programs including aquatic therapy, pelvic health therapy, fall prevention, dry needling, and LSVT BIG for people living with Parkinson's disease. Rehab services are available at Amberwell Atchison, Amberwell Hiawatha, Amberwell Horton Clinic, and Amberwell Lansing Clinic.

Rehab progress is measured in weeks, and much of the work is repetition that nobody enjoys on day one. They keep people coming back anyway, which takes as much skill as anything clinical.

To our rehabilitation teams, thank you for the work you do every day.

09/15/2026

Sepsis does not start as sepsis. It starts as an infection.

A urinary tract infection. Pneumonia. A cut that will not heal.

Usually the body fights it off. Sometimes it overreacts, and that overreaction starts shutting down organs. That is sepsis, and it can turn serious in a matter of hours.

Here is why that matters. Sepsis does not come out of nowhere. It gives you something to watch.

If you have an infection and you are getting worse instead of better, pay attention.

09/14/2026

21 classes. 101 loved ones, friends, and neighbors certified in CPR.

That is how many Allison Benner and Rebecca Houghton have taught in Atchison and Hiawatha over the last year. About a year ago, Allison, manager of education services at Amberwell, began offering CPR certification classes in Atchison and Hiawatha. As demand for the program grew, she brought fellow CPR instructor Rebecca Houghton on board to help expand the availability of community classes. Amberwell offers CPR certification classes so that more people in our communities will feel confident to act when someone needs help.

This week is Nursing Professional Development Week, and we’re proud to celebrate Allison and the role she plays in keeping our nurses prepared. We recognize her commitment to quality and to the people she teaches.

Registration for CPR classes is now open.
Atchison: Oct. 13, Nov. 10, and Dec. 10, 4pm to 7:30pm.
Hiawatha: Oct. 20 and Dec. 1, 2pm to 5:30pm.

The cost is $25 per person, and space is limited.

To register, visit the link in the comments.

08/26/2026

August 31 is Opioid Misuse Prevention Day, a good reminder to take a few minutes to check your medicine cabinet.

Unused prescription opioids, including medications such as hydrocodone, morphine, and oxycodone, can pose a serious risk when they are no longer needed. They can be misused by others or accidentally taken by children or pets.

A few simple steps can help keep your home safer:

• Store prescription opioids securely and out of reach of others.
• Never share prescription medications.
• Dispose of unused or expired medications as soon as possible.

Drug take-back programs and medication disposal locations provide a safe way to get unneeded medications out of your home.

Click on the link in the comments to find medication disposal options near you.

08/25/2026

We are proud to congratulate Avery Peek, PharmD, on officially completing his licensure process and becoming a licensed pharmacist!

Avery has also taken on a major role in Amberwell’s Omnicell transition, a large and important project for our pharmacy team. He approached the work with ownership and diligence, jumping in wherever he was needed and helping the team work through the many details involved in the transition.

Avery, congratulations on earning your pharmacist license, and thank you for the hard work, ownership, and commitment you’ve already shown as part of the Amberwell team. We’re proud to have you with us!

08/24/2026

Amberwell Lansing Clinic is pleased to welcome Graham B. Pankratz, MD to our primary care team!

Dr. Pankratz provides primary care for patients of every age, from newborns to seniors, supporting families through every stage of life. As a family medicine physician, he offers comprehensive care, including preventive medicine, women's health, sports medicine, and chronic disease management. He also provides inpatient and emergency care at Amberwell Atchison and Amberwell Hiawatha, helping ensure patients receive seamless care close to home.

Dr. Pankratz's path to medicine was shaped by people who believed in him, an undergraduate mentor and the physicians who cared for him as a child. Working as a nursing assistant at a children's hospital during college remains one of the most formative experiences of his career. As he completed his training, one thing became clear: he loved every part of medicine.

"In training, I loved everything: pediatrics, women's health, sports medicine, adult medicine, emergency medicine, everything! Family medicine lets me do all those things."

For Dr. Pankratz and his wife, joining Amberwell meant finding the kind of community where they wanted to build a life and raise their family.

"Finding Amberwell has been a culmination of a lifetime spent trusting in the Lord. I could not have found a better place to live, to raise our children, to be close to family and friends. Just as important to me professionally, I am blessed to join a system that supports me in practicing every type of medicine I choose to."

With family roots in the area, Dr. Pankratz and his wife intentionally chose to return to northeast Kansas, and look forward to becoming part of the community they now call home.

Whenever possible, Dr. Pankratz offers procedures right in the clinic, so patients don't have to travel elsewhere for care that can be provided locally.

"I feel a responsibility to save my patients a 30- to 45-minute drive to see someone else in another community."

He also has a special passion for diabetes care, helping patients benefit from advances in medical technology that make managing the disease easier and improve quality of life.

At home, Dr. Pankratz and his wife, who is a nurse, stay busy raising their two daughters alongside their dog, Kona. Outside of medicine, he enjoys camping, backpacking, cycling, functional fitness, and a great cup of coffee.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Pankratz to Amberwell Lansing Clinic!

08/07/2026

Summer means more sun exposure — shorts, short sleeves, and more time outside. Skin that's normally covered up the rest of the year has been out in the open.

Experts recommend checking your skin every month. Look for anything new, changing, or unusual. Even a small spot or sore that won't heal might be worth getting checked. The sooner a spot gets checked, the simpler it usually is to treat — waiting is the real risk.

You don't need to see a dermatologist first. At Amberwell Surgical Care, you can get your skin checked, have suspicious skin spots removed, and have your follow-up care all in the same office with the same care team.

06/10/2026

Amberwell recently had the opportunity to present a donation check for $1622.25 to Horses & Heroes during a visit and tour of their facility in Leavenworth County.

The donation was made possible through Amberwell's Jeans Day program. Employees who participate contribute a small amount from each paycheck in exchange for the opportunity to wear jeans on Fridays. Those funds are then donated to a local charitable organization selected through a vote by participating employees. Thank you to the many Amberwell employees who participated and helped make this donation possible.

Community involvement is an important part of who we are, and we are proud to support organizations like Horses & Heroes that are making a meaningful difference locally. Horses & Heroes provides support and connection for veterans, first responders, and others in the community through equine-assisted programs and services. We appreciated the opportunity to learn more about their mission and see firsthand the impact they are making for local individuals and families.

Thank you again to everyone who contributed and to the Horses & Heroes team for welcoming us and sharing more about their work.

06/02/2026

Military families can count on providers who understand their needs. Amberwell Lansing Clinic has a provider for every need, including male and female providers, a pediatric provider for children, and providers with extensive military experience who understand the realities of military family life and dependent care.

As part of the Amberwell Health system, we are here to listen, guide, and support your healthcare journey from beginning to end.

05/22/2026

Military dependents can access same day and next day sick care at Amberwell Lansing Clinic. Our providers offer pediatric care for children, so when your child is sick and needs to be seen quickly, you have a local option that works with your schedule.

As part of the Amberwell Health system, your care stays connected close to home.

05/12/2026

Military members and their families have access to care through Amberwell Lansing Clinic, and we accept TRICARE plans for military dependents. Whether you are maintaining an active lifestyle, managing an injury, or caring for your family, our team provides care for patients of all ages, with same day and next day sick visits available, along with support for checkups, long term health concerns, and more, all close to home.

As part of the Amberwell Health system, your care stays connected.

05/06/2026

05/01/2026

Please join us in welcoming Garret Kahle, MD, to Amberwell Lansing Clinic!

Garret Kahle, MD, will practice pediatrics at Amberwell Lansing Clinic. Dr. Kahle provides care for infants, children, and teens, supporting families through every stage of childhood.

He has experience caring for children from infancy through adolescence and has served in both clinical and leadership roles, including as a clinic director. He is committed to building relationships with families and providing care that supports children as they grow and develop.

Dr. Kahle was drawn to Amberwell Lansing Clinic for its focus on caring for local communities and the opportunity to serve families in an area he calls home. Having grown up in the Leavenworth County area, he has a strong connection to the region and is excited to be practicing in a familiar place.

“I knew I wanted to come back to this area, and being able to care for kids here and support families locally is something that’s really important to me.”

He was also drawn to Amberwell as a healthcare system that provides the resources and support needed to care for patients effectively, along with a commitment to making care accessible to a wide range of patients in the community.

For Dr. Kahle, practicing in the Lansing community fulfills both a professional goal and a personal one, and he looks forward to building lasting relationships with the families he serves.

Dr. Kahle’s decision to practice in Lansing helps ensure families in Lansing, Leavenworth, and surrounding areas have access to pediatric care in their community. His practice offers families the option to have their children seen by a pediatric physician close to home.

Dr. Kahle discovered his interest in pediatrics during medical school, where working with children quickly became a natural fit.

“Taking care of kids is really fun… I loved everything about it.”

His experience includes caring for children in a community-based setting and working with families across a wide range of needs. These experiences helped shape his approach to pediatric care and reinforced his commitment to supporting families through each stage of childhood.

As a father himself, Dr. Kahle understands that parenting comes with a lot of questions, and he approaches each visit with that in mind. He works to create an environment where families feel comfortable talking through concerns and leave with a clear understanding of their child’s care.

“I think getting to know families and building that relationship over time is really important, and having continuity of care makes a difference.”

That same focus on relationships extends beyond the exam room. Dr. Kahle has been involved in professional and community efforts focused on improving health and access to care, reflecting his broader commitment to supporting children and families.

Dr. Kahle enjoys spending time with his wife and children and values raising his family in the same region he now serves. His wife, who is a nurse, and he stay busy with family life and time spent with loved ones in the area.

In his free time, he enjoys golf, playing chess, and following sports.