Special Care for Special Needs

The SPAN Program: Primary Care for Adults with Special Needs

For patients with special needs, having a patient-centered primary care team that is well-equipped to compassionately and competently care for you can make all the difference.

AdventHealth's Special Pediatric-to-Adult Need (SPAN) program is Greater Kansas City’s only primary care program focused exclusively on providing comprehensive, patient-focused care for adults with a chronic condition that persists from childhood to adulthood. Led by a highly experienced physician who specializes in the care of patients with special needs, SPAN provides these special patients (ages 16 and older) with a consistent, reliable medical home.

To make an appointment, call 913-632-SPAN (7726). Please be prepared to provide your/the patient’s name, date of birth and phone number.

Call Us: 913-632-SPAN
Compassionate and Convenient

Our expert team provides primary care for adults (ages 16+) with special needs every weekday in the same location, including same-day appointments and daily physician availability. Our office is conveniently located on the campus of AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, in the Gateway Building. Additionally, family members and caregivers can receive primary care in the same location, allowing an integrated approach to care.

Meet Our Team

  • Laura Gaffney, MD

    Dr. Gaffney is the founder and clinical leader of the SPAN program. Board-certified in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Dr. Gaffney has focused much of her practice on adults with special needs since 1996. In 2024, she transitioned to focus exclusively on SPAN patients, and she welcomes new adolescent and adult patients with special needs. Dr. Gaffney is the medical co-chair of the Intellectual and Developmental Disability Coalition of Kansas and she has earned numerous honors for excellence in patient care, including a nomination for the Kansas Hospital Association’s 2024 Heart of Health Care award. She has been with AdventHealth Medical Group since 1997.

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  • Danielle Carmitchel, APRN, FNP-C

    Danielle is a certified family nurse practitioner who provides care for patients in the SPAN program as well as traditional patients. With a background in home health care, wound care and pediatric private duty care of children with special needs, Danielle is a skilled and passionate provider for patients with a wide range of unique needs.

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Our Continuity of Care

A social worker and other clinical associates round out SPAN’s specialized, patient-focused medical team. In the event a referral is needed, the team has direct access to experienced, respected specialists across the AdventHealth Shawnee Mission network and beyond.

Our Location

The SPAN program is housed within AdventHealth Medical Group Primary Care at Shawnee Mission. Our office is located on the campus of AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, near the intersection of I-35 and 75th Street. Click the button below to learn more about Primary Care at Shawnee Mission.

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