Lakeside park landscape representing Shawnee Mission School District's community.
Case Study

Shawnee Mission School District: Improving population health

See how Shawnee Mission School District partnered with Marathon Health to cut costs, improve outcomes, and deliver advanced primary care to educators who need it most.
Read the case study

School districts face mounting pressure: rising costs, stressed educators, and a health system that wasn't built to help. When care access is limited, chronic conditions go unmanaged and costs compound. For districts like Shawnee Mission, advanced primary care offers a proven path to better population health and measurable financial returns for employers.

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ABOUT SMSD

A Kansas school district committed to its people

Who they are

Shawnee Mission School District is the third-largest in Kansas, educating 27,000 students with a workforce of 3,500 dedicated educators and support staff across Johnson County—one of the state's most populated areas.

A dedicated workforce of educators and staff

Like districts statewide, Shawnee Mission competes to attract and retain talented educators in a demanding field. Offering meaningful benefits and supporting the whole person is central to how district leadership serves its staff.

THE CHALLENGE

When access to care becomes the barrier

Kansas educators face a healthcare landscape shaped by cost barriers and provider shortages. These challenges make it difficult for staff to access care, creating real consequences for both individual health and district budgets.

  • Over 70% of Kansas residents delay care because of cost

  • Nearly half report long wait times, resulting in delayed care

  • 650,000+ residents live in primary care shortage areas statewide

These barriers drive real costs. Without preventive care, chronic conditions worsen and expenses grow. Traditional health insurance alone wasn't the answer—a more proactive model was overdue for Shawnee Mission School District.

THE MARATHON HEALTH SOLUTION

Advanced primary care built around the needs of educators

Onsite access designed for educators' schedules

A dedicated Marathon Health center serves staff exclusively. Same- or next-day appointments eliminate wait times and scheduling barriers, helping educators get the consistent care they need.

Whole-person care for physical and mental health

The center meets up to 90% of staff needs, including primary care, mental health, and acute care. Specialists remove barriers, helping educators access whole-person support in and out of the classroom.

Proactive care coordination that drives results

Providers spend 30-plus minutes per visit building relationships that improve chronic condition management, reduce emergency visits, and deliver sustained savings for the district.

Calm lake reflecting surrounding trees and grassland at golden hour
0 %

or more of at-risk engaged members reduced their health risk through the program

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employee engagement with the health center across the district's workforce

$ 0 M

in claims savings in 2025 alone, compared to the market trend

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return on investment since the Shawnee Mission health center opened in 2017

$ 0

average annual savings per engaged member managing a chronic condition

  • Never before were we able to address staff needs in a manner that so clearly communicated that we care—not only about the work our staff does, but who they are as individuals.

    Associate Superintendent of Human Resources
    Shawnee Mission School District
GET THE CASE STUDY

See what advanced primary care delivered for Shawnee Mission

The Shawnee Mission case study details how one district transformed educator health and achieved strong financial returns through advanced primary care. From mental health outcomes to chronic disease management, the full report shares the data and strategies behind results other districts can replicate.
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