HSHS/Prevea Recovery Task Force
Welcome to the HSHS/Prevea Recovery Task Force page! Here, you can stay informed about the present and future challenges our community is addressing following the decision to close HSHS/Prevea facilities in our area.
Our dedicated team is diligently working to provide you with the latest updates. With over 125 volunteers actively involved in various committees, the overwhelming support from our community reinforces our collective commitment to overcoming these challenges together. If you're interested in contributing or have suggestions, feel free to let us know how you can be a part of this effort.
As the HSHS/Prevea Recovery Task Force receives ongoing updates and addresses your queries, our commitment is to keep you well-informed. To stay up-to-date on the latest developments, consider subscribing to Task Force Communications below.
Currently, we have closed the submissions for our task force committees as we are in the process of organizing the existing applicants into suitable committees. Should additional committee members be required, we will reopen the submission process.
Be sure to check our FAQ page regularly, as it will be consistently updated with new information.
Public Notices
After more than four months of providing critical resources and achieving significant support for Chippewa Valley residents and businesses impacted by healthcare closures, and as the future healthcare market in the region continues to evolve quickly, the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce today announced that the HSHS/Prevea Recovery Task Force will pause its efforts.
“Along with over 125 community leaders, the Task Force was organized to help prepare for a new healthcare landscape in the Chippewa Valley and promote an open dialogue about how best to address future healthcare needs,” said Task Force co-chair Jerry Jacobson, president, Northwestern Bank. “We are all deeply grateful for the leadership of Dave Minor and the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce for being the catalyst to pull this group together and be a trusted resource of information and support.”
“The Task Force put a bright light on the pressing issue of providing rural healthcare in our state, and quite frankly, in our country,” said Task Force co-chair Bill Rupp, retired CEO of Mayo Clinic & Hospitals – Eau Claire. “Because of the advocacy and work that the Task Force completed, new providers began to look at our region and public agencies were able to quickly provide support to the impacted workforce.”
“I believe the Task Force was an essential forum for communications and provided a clear window into our community’s needs,” said Task Force board member Jeff Halloin, president, Landmark Company. “Without the significant support and resources provided by the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce leadership and staff, this level of coordination and cooperation could not have been completed.”
“The Task Force provided a level of stability in our community during a very challenging time,” said Task Force board member Karl Hoesly, president, Xcel Energy-Wisconsin. “As we move forward as a community, we are in a much better place because of the dedication and focus of the many volunteers who stepped forward to offer their expertise and guidance.”
"I want to recognize and thank my Menomonie and Chippewa Falls Chambers counterparts, Ashley DeMuth and Allyson Wisniewski. As we know, the healthcare industry is woven throughout the Chippewa Valley. As such, it would have been impossible to address this issue without their partnership and continued support," said David Minor, president and CEO of the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce.
Among the notable successes of the Task Force included:
- Working with 14 new providers interested in expanding here and helping them make connections with business leaders and elected officials.
- Supporting the Rural Health Innovation Alliance, an effort spearheaded UW-Eau Claire, to assemble health care providers, entrepreneurs and other partners and transform the Chippewa Valley into a rural health-care “epicenter” through the establishment of testbeds, microsites and other ways to reduce barriers to innovation.
- Committing with HSHS to ensure that money contributed by community members to the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis Foundation will stay in the region through a partnership with the Eau Claire Community Foundation and Community Foundation of Chippewa County.
- Creating a robust website and e-newsletter that provided consistent and timely information for the community to stay informed.
As the Task Force concludes its operations, the work of the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce will continue as it seeks to collaborate with its members and investors and advocate for a strong economy so that businesses can continue to thrive and succeed in the region.
“The Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce has always been an advocate for quality, affordable health care in our community and that won’t change,” said Dave Minor, president & CEO, Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce. “I have never been so proud of our staff and the many volunteers from around the Chippewa Valley who quickly and selflessly severed on our Task Force committees. The unprecedented support reinforced our collective commitment to overcoming these challenges and providing a framework for other communities who are, or will, face these same issues with rural healthcare.
“By working together, we have better positioned the Chippewa Valley for the future, and I am confident that our best days are yet to come,” Minor said.
MENOMONIE, WI – May 14, 2024 – OakLeaf Medical Network members Oakleaf Clinics and Foot & Ankle Clinic will share the former Prevea medical clinic building they purchased together from HSHS. The new clinics are located at 2919 Stout Rd, Menomonie, Wisconsin 54751. OakLeaf Clinics is open now at the new location, and Foot & Ankle Clinic will move soon to the larger space.
Foot & Ankle Clinic, will move soon from their previous Menomonie location into this larger space to accommodate their growing patient practice. To keep access to high-quality primary care services in the area, OakLeaf Clinics has hired Kristin Rubenzer, APNP and her team, who previously worked at Prevea Health Menomonie which closed in April due to the HSHS/Prevea exit from the Western Wisconsin region. In addition, OakLeaf OBGYN Dr. Hailey Roberts and a team of midwives will now work in the Menomonie clinic to provide more women’s health services to the community in and around Menomonie.
Foot & Ankle Clinic and OakLeaf Clinics are both members of the Oakleaf Medical Network, the largest network of independent healthcare clinics in Western Wisconsin, with over 350 medical providers with 40 specialties.
By opening its new clinic, Oakleaf Clinics maintains access to high-quality health care in Menomonie with the same trusted providers who have been caring for local patients for years and expands services to provide more access and capacity to women’s healthcare providers. OakLeaf plans to expand access to other key healthcare specialists in the Menomonie clinic with other specialist physicians from the Oakleaf Medical Network. Oakleaf Clinics in the near future. In addition, OakLeaf Clinics will open its Urgent Care in the Menomonie clinic in June.
Morgan Mack, DPM, and her colleagues at Foot and Ankle Clinic are excited to continue care in Menomonie. “Providing quality surgical foot and ankle care in Western Wisconsin for the last 30 years, the Foot and Ankle Clinic LLP is excited to be in our new Menomonie location. Our
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Oakleaf Clinics and Foot & Ankle Clinic Open New Clinics in Menomonie 5.14.2024 2
commitment to independent healthcare and patient choice continues to grow, as we further help to expand patient care in Western Wisconsin. Surgical results matter and when it comes to family, our board-certified foot and ankle surgeons will provide the treatment necessary to keep you and your family active and on the move.”
Keeps Access to Care in Menomonie
The OakLeaf Clinics expansion in Menomonie is particularly critical in the wake of Prevea and HSHS’s departure from Western Wisconsin.
“I am extremely happy to be a part of closing the healthcare gaps and addressing the Menomonie patient and community needs,” commented Rubenzer. “I feel very fortunate to be able to offer family medicine services, which has been my medical practice home for the past seven years, as a part of Oakleaf Clinics’ offerings in Menomonie. Caring for patients across their lifespans is my passion and has been my focus for the 14 years of my nurse practitioner career. I look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones for years to come here in Menomonie!”
Hailey Roberts, MD Oakleaf Clinics views this as an opportunity to help stabilize the care of women’s health in the region during uncertain times.
“I’m excited to help bridge the gaps by providing women’s health care in communities that have expressed a big need,” said Roberts. “OakLeaf Clinics and community members have been hoping for a presence in Menomonie for some time, and we now have the opportunity to establish a clinic in the area and provide a variety of primary and specialty care closer to home. I and our midwives are looking forward to offering obstetric and gynecologic care in Menomonie.”
About Foot & Ankle Clinic
Foot & Ankle Clinic, started in 1991, has been working with patients for 33 years to provide the best podiatric care available. With seven offices throughout the Chippewa Valley, Foot & Ankle Clinic offers podiatric care for a wide array of foot and ankle conditions. (Offices in Chippewa Falls, Cumberland, Eau Claire, Menomonie, Rice Lake, Shell Lake, and Stanley.)
Oakleaf Clinics and Foot & Ankle Clinic Open New Clinics in Menomonie 5.14.2024 3
About OakLeaf Clinics
OakLeaf Clinics, the largest clinic in the OakLeaf Medical Network, provides primary and specialty care through its 11 clinics in Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Cornell, Ladysmith, Menomonie, Rice Lake, and outreach clinics in Altoona, Amery, Baldwin, Black River Falls, Cumberland, Shell Lake, Stanley, and Turtle Lake.
About OakLeaf Medical Network
OakLeaf Medical Network, comprised exclusively of independent clinics, is the largest independent physician association in Western Wisconsin, with over 350 medical providers (130 physicians) with 40 specialties working across 31 clinics in 15 counties. Over 50,000 primary care patients are served by OakLeaf Medical Network providers. Originally founded in 1994 by a local group of physicians committed to preserving the unique values of independent medical practices including personal care, continuity of care, and easier access to care, as a “clinic without walls,” the organization has evolved and grown over time.
Today the clinics under the OakLeaf Medical Network include: OakLeaf Clinics (founded in 2015) with its 11 divisions, Buffalo River Clinic, Chippewa Valley Anesthesia Associates, Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic, Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic Chippewa Falls, Chippewa Valley Neurosciences, Chippewa Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Confluence Healthcare, DeFatta ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery, Diagnostic Radiology Associates, Eau Claire G.I. Associates, Evergreen Surgical, Foot and Ankle Clinic, Hesse Foot & Ankle Clinic, Interventional Pain Specialists of Wisconsin, Medical X-Ray Consultants, Merrick Plastic & Hand Surgery, Northwest Radiation Oncology Associates, Nystrom & Associates, Pathology, SC, Plastic Spears Pain and Rehab, Surgery Clinic of Eau Claire, Sunrise Family Care Clinic, Thomas Peller, MD, Western Wisconsin Urology, Winding Rivers Counseling, and Wisconsin Brain & Spine Center.
OakLeaf Medical Network clinics are in the following counties: Barron, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Trempealeau, and Washburn.
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Media Contact:
Lee Caraher for OakLeaf Medical Network
lcaraher@double-forte.com
Oakleaf Clinics and Foot & Ankle Clinic Open New Clinics in Menomonie 5.14.2024 4 715-829-4566
Keeps Trusted Local Healthcare Professionals in Rice Lake with Plans to Expand
RICE LAKE, WI – May 14, 2024 – Oakleaf Clinics today announced that it is opening a new clinic in Rice Lake with local healthcare providers Bailey Yeager, PA-C and Kaley Wilson, APNP who previously worked at Prevea Health Rice Lake which closed in April due to the HSHS/Prevea exit from the Western Wisconsin region. The new Oakleaf Clinics Rice Lake is now open at 1024 N. Main Street, Rice Lake, WI 54868.
By opening its new clinic, Oakleaf Clinics maintains access to high-quality health care in Rice Lake with the same trusted providers who have been caring for local patients for over seven years. Oakleaf Clinics Rice Lake will offer the same primary, family medicine, and women’s health care services that were available through Prevea. This is the first step in Oakleaf Clinics establishing an enduring and growing presence in the Rice Lake area.
Yeager has served the Rice Lake community for seven years.
“I am incredibly excited and grateful to be able to continue to practice in Rice Lake and help patients meet their healthcare goals and live a healthier life,” said Yeager. “I absolutely love serving this community and can’t wait to continue to improve our community’s health and wellbeing.”
Wilson, added, “I have worked closely with patients, their families and friends for over 16 years. I am a Rice Lake native and take pride in serving our community. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Oakleaf Clinics, which has proved me with the ability to continue to put patients first and provide care close to home.”
“I have worked closely with Baily and Kaley throughout their time with Prevea and am excited to have them join Oakleaf Clinics as they continue to offer high quality personalized care in Rice Lake,” said Jordan Crow, MD, Oakleaf Clinics, who led the effort to open the new Rice Lake
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Oakleaf Clinics New Clinic in Rice Lake Now Open May 13, 2024 2
clinic. “These excellent providers will be the first of many independent clinicians Oakleaf Clinics plans to support in Rice Lake.”
Oakleaf Clinics is the largest clinic in the Oakleaf Medical Network of independent healthcare clinics with over 350 medical providers with 40 specialties in Western Wisconsin.
About OakLeaf Clinics
OakLeaf Clinics, the largest clinic in the OakLeaf Medical Network, provides primary and specialty care through its 11 clinics in Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Cornell, Ladysmith, Menomonie, Rice Lake, and outreach clinics in Altoona, Amery, Baldwin, Black River Falls, Cumberland, Shell Lake, Stanley and Turtle Lake.
About OakLeaf Medical Network
OakLeaf Medical Network, comprised exclusively of independent clinics, is the largest independent physician association in Western Wisconsin, with over 350 medical providers (130 physicians) with 40 specialties working across 31 clinics in 15 counties. Over 50,000 primary care patients are served by OakLeaf Medical Network providers. Originally founded in 1994 by a local group of physicians committed to preserving the unique values of independent medical practices including personal care, continuity of care, and easier access to care, as a “clinic without walls,” the organization has evolved and grown over time.
Today the clinics under the OakLeaf Medical Network include: OakLeaf Clinics (founded in 2015) with its 11 divisions, Buffalo River Clinic, Chippewa Valley Anesthesia Associates, Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic, Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic Chippewa Falls, Chippewa Valley Neurosciences, Chippewa Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Confluence Healthcare, DeFatta ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery, Diagnostic Radiology Associates, Eau Claire G.I. Associates, Evergreen Surgical, Foot and Ankle Clinic, Hesse Foot & Ankle Clinic, Interventional Pain Specialists of Wisconsin, Medical X-Ray Consultants, Merrick Plastic & Hand Surgery, Northwest Radiation Oncology Associates, Nystrom & Associates, Pathology, SC, Plastic Spears Pain and Rehab, Surgery Clinic of Eau Claire, Sunrise Family Care Clinic, Thomas Peller, MD, Western Wisconsin Urology, Winding Rivers Counseling, and Wisconsin Brain & Spine Center.
Oakleaf Clinics New Clinic in Rice Lake Now Open May 13, 2024 3
OakLeaf Medical Network clinics are in the following counties: Barron, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Trempealeau, and Washburn.
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Media Contact:
Lee Caraher for OakLeaf Medical Network
lcaraher@double-forte.com
715-829-4566
OAKLEAF CLINICS OPENS ONCOLOGY SERVICES TO PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED CANCER SURVEILLANCE CARE AND SCREENING SERVICES
-Hires Core Cancer Surveillance Team from Prevea Cancer Center at Sacred Heart to Keep Trusted Team Together to Serve Over 500 Local Cancer Survivor Patients
EAU CLAIRE, WI – May 8, 2024 –To fill the large cancer care gap left by the HSHS/Prevea closures in Western Wisconsin, OakLeaf Clinics has opened Oncology Services at its Eau Claire Medical Clinic at 3802 W Oakwood Mall Drive in Eau Claire. Over 500 local area cancer survivor patients who require regular, and often frequent, surveillance care for the rest of their lives, now have a local, long-term care option and won’t have to travel out of the area to seek the surveillance care they need.
Medical oncology specialist Dr. Mihailo Lalich leads OakLeaf Clinics Oncology Services with Angela Quick, Executive Director of Cancer Services, along with Sarah Reiter, Nurse Practitioner, and Jessica Gugel OCN, MSN, BSN, Oncology Nurse Navigator, all who served in the same roles at the Prevea Cancer Center at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital. The Oncology Services team is supported by the other physicians, nurses, and staff at OakLeaf Clinics, and provide oncology services to the other clinics in the OakLeaf Medical Network.
The OakLeaf Clinics Oncology Services team has already scheduled over 300 patients for their regular surveillance care appointments.
“Keeping the excellent local Prevea Oncology team together has been a critical priority for OakLeaf Clinics and the OakLeaf Medical Network since HSHS announced that it was shuttering operations in January,” said Dr. Anton Kidess, Partner at OakLeaf Clinics. “OakLeaf Medical Network physicians had been referring their patients to the Prevea Cancer Center with total confidence for years. We moved quickly to keep as many of the providers in place locally
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OakLeaf Clinics Opens Oncology Services Practice 2
as possible and are happy that we’ll be able to provide the excellent long-term care these patients need to live a healthy life after cancer.”
Dr. Lalich added, “Our team is honored to join the OakLeaf Clinics team and is looking forward to continuing caring for the patients we have come to know so well.”
Patients Appreciate Trusted Team
Cancer patients and their care teams regularly develop close and trusted relationships, as patients regularly see the same nurses, doctors, and care providers for many years, while they deal with potentially life-threatening diseases.
Ruth Lambert, 43, of Fall Creek, WI a former cancer treatment patient at Prevea Cancer Center, whose final cancer treatment appointments were moved out of the area with the local center’s closure, is now a patient of OakLeaf Clinics Oncology Services for her surveillance care.
“I’m very happy that Dr. Lalich and Jessica and Sarah are still together as a team at OakLeaf Clinics for cancer survivor patients like me,” said Lambert. “To be able to come back to the team I already trusted so close to home is a great relief as we navigate my future. I plan to have a long, cancer free life and I know this team will do whatever they can to make sure that comes true.”
Cancer Surveillance Care
Cancer surveillance care is highly personalized and is unique to the type of cancer diagnosis each patient had and the treatment received. Each diagnosis has a National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Care Plan that articulates frequency of surveillance visits and scans, exams, and lab tests required. Frequency ranges from every three weeks for an examination to every six months with scans and labs to annual visits.
Cancer Treatment Timeline
Cancer care is divided into three general categories: screenings, diagnosis and treatment, and surveillance care post treatment.
OakLeaf Clinics Opens Oncology Services Practice 3
Currently, OakLeaf Clinics Oncology is focused on 1) increasing cancer screening workflows to “catch” cancer in its earliest stages, which dramatically improves care options and healthy outcomes, and 2) providing surveillance care, the regular, and sometimes frequent, exams, scans and labs the help cancer survivors remain cancer-free for the rest of their lives.
Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, require a licensed hazardous drug pharmacy and a linear accelerator. OakLeaf Clinics cannot offer cancer treatments at this time and, with the OakLeaf Medical Network, is working closely with the Chippewa Valley Healthcare Cooperative to explore fast tracking opening a cancer center as quickly as possible in the region. Plans and timing will be announced by the Cooperative in the future.
The over 300 patients who were receiving cancer treatment at the Prevea Cancer Center at Sacred Heart Hospital, have been receiving treatment at different cancer centers throughout Western, Southwestern, South Central, and Central Wisconsin, as well as the Twin Cities area, and Rochester Minnesota.
About OakLeaf Clinics
OakLeaf Clinics, the largest clinic in the OakLeaf Medical Network, provides primary and specialty care through its 11 clinics in Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Cornell, Ladysmith, Menomonie, Rice Lake, and outreach clinics in Altoona, Amery, Baldwin, Black River Falls, Cumberland, Shell Lake, Stanley and Turtle Lake.
About OakLeaf Medical Network
OakLeaf Medical Network, comprised exclusively of independent clinics, is the largest independent physician association in Western Wisconsin, with over 350 medical providers (130 physicians) with 40 specialties working across 31 clinics in 15 counties. Over 33,500 primary
OakLeaf Clinics Opens Oncology Services Practice 4
care patients are served by OakLeaf Medical Network providers. Originally founded in 1994 by a local group of physicians committed to preserving the unique values of independent medical practices including personal care, continuity of care, and easier access to care, as a “clinic without walls,” the organization has evolved and grown over time.
Today the clinics under the OakLeaf Medical Network include: OakLeaf Clinics (founded in 2015) with its 11 divisions, Buffalo River Clinic, Chippewa Valley Anesthesia Associates, Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic, Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic Chippewa Falls, Chippewa Valley Neurosciences, Chippewa Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Confluence Healthcare, DeFatta ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery, Diagnostic Radiology Associates, Eau Claire G.I. Associates, Evergreen Surgical, Foot and Ankle Clinic, Hesse Foot & Ankle Clinic, Interventional Pain Specialists of Wisconsin, Medical X-Ray Consultants, Merrick Plastic & Hand Surgery, Northwest Radiation Oncology Associates, Nystrom & Associates, Pathology, SC, Plastic Surgery Clinic of Eau Claire, Spears Pain and Rehab, Sunrise Family Care Clinic, Thomas Peller, MD, Western Wisconsin Urology, Winding Rivers Counseling, and Wisconsin Brain & Spine Center.
OakLeaf Medical Network clinics are in the following counties: Barron, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Trempealeau, and Washburn.
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Media Contact:
Lee Caraher for OakLeaf Medical Network
lcaraher@double-forte.com
715-829-4566
April 1 marks opening of Spears Pain & Rehab in Eau Claire
Meeting an urgent and unprecedented need in the Chippewa Valley
Eau Claire, Wis. – April 1 marks the first day of patient care at the newly constructed Spears Pain & Rehab in Eau Claire. The clinic opening means more access to services for patients who may have lost rehabilitation care due to the closing of several health clinics and hospitals in western Wisconsin.
Spears Pain & Rehab, 3864 Talmadge Rd., offers physical pain management; out-patient rehabilitation after serious medical conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury and neurological conditions; nerve testing and additional non-surgical pain services. It is part of the OakLeaf Medical Network, an independent, locally owned physician network that links health care providers and clinics to more than 30 communities in western Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota.
Dr. Eric Spears, a board-certified physician of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), says PM&R as a specialty is not limited to one organ system but rather a whole person approach to health care.
“PM&R physicians are trained to view all aspects of physical health and a patient’s interaction with everything around them – environment, work, family, hobbies and social circumstances. This integrated form of care allows a physician to see to how the body functions at a cellular level.”
Some forms of chronic pain can limit a person’s ability to get exercise, perform job duties and enjoy a high quality of life.
“At its core, PM&R evaluates how every diagnosis may cause certain impairments in bodily functioning and in turn can lead to a loss of ability,” says Dr. Spears. “Understanding this root cause helps me customize treatments plans the patient and I are comfortable with whether short- or long-term.”
Dr. Spears has extensive training in electromyography, a procedure that measures muscle response and electrical activity; osteopathic manipulative therapy, a hands-on treatment used to diagnose, treat and prevent illness or injury; ultrasound; musculoskeletal injections and Botox injections to treat muscle spasms and other conditions.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Spears, please call (715) 900-2990 or talk with your provider about a referral. For more information about Spears Pain & Rehab, please visit: www.erspears.com
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About Spears Pain & Rehab - The mission of Spears Pain & Rehab is to ease suffering by providing treatment and support services to maximize a patient’s independence and well-being. This is accomplished using multimodal approaches to pain management to measurably restore function and reduce discomfort.
MADISON (WKOW) -- The health care facility closures continue in the Chippewa Valley.
HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and St. Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls were slated to close Friday. The Sacred Heart closure was originally supposed to happen in late April.
"That's probably one of our biggest struggles right now, is how do we replace those," said Dave Minor, the President/CEO of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce. "You don't just open up an emergency room for a hospital as a standalone operation, you have to have other services."
Minor is part of the task force created by community leaders in the Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Menomonie areas in response to the closures announced in January.
"We know it's going to be a struggle, but everybody connected to those is looking for solutions: from the paramedics to the hospitals themselves," said Minor. "In working alongside with Mayo Clinic, with Marshfield Clinic on independent conversations, they are looking at how can they expand their emergency room facilities and staffing."
Minor said as they work through this, people are going to be dealing with longer ER wait times.
In the meantime, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has urged the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee multiple times to authorize the release of $15 million in funds for the region. In February, lawmakers passed a bill that would send the money directly to existing emergency departments. In a partial veto, Gov. Evers expanded the reach to fund any hospital services meeting the area's healthcare needs.
The Republican co-chairs of the finance committee, Rep. Mark Born and Sen. Howard Marklein, criticized the governor's partial veto.
"The committee will not support a proposal that redirects the funding from this high-need area to anywhere in western Wisconsin," said Born in a statement after the governor's veto.
This week, Marklein said the governor is asking the committee to fund a bill he vetoed.
"He is asking a committee of the legislature to re-write legislation, change legislative intent, and fund something that he vetoed," he said. "Considering the fact that the governor keeps suing the legislature, I don't know why he thinks we should take a legal risk when he vetoed the bill that would have addressed the issue in the first place."
- Oakleaf Medical Network FAQ as of 2.9.2024
- Oakleaf Medical Network Statement 2.9.2024
- Oakleaf Medical Network moves forward 2.2.2024
- Chippewa Valley Orthopedics Responds to Court Decision 2.27.2024
- Chippewa Valley Orthopedics Files Lawsuit 2.9.2024
- Oakleaf Medical Network Western Wisconsin Action Response Plan 2.22.2024
- Oakleaf Medical Network Expands Capacity to Meet Healthcare Needs 2.22.2024
- Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative FAQ 3.5.2024
- Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative Formed 3.5.2024
As a network of clinics and hospitals prepare to close in western Wisconsin, Rusk County leaders have decided to purchase a primary care clinic in Ladysmith to keep the doors open.
The Rusk County Board of Supervisors decided earlier this month to pay $1.6 million for the Prevea Health primary clinic building, with the contingency that they could lease the building to a provider. The tentative closing date for the sale is April 19.
The clinic in Ladysmith is one of 15 Prevea primary and specialty care clinics that are closing starting April 13 as Prevea and Hospital Sisters Health System exit western Wisconsin.
Ashley Heath, Rusk County’s administrative coordinator, said the health systems’ announcement at the end of January was a shock to the community. She said the two doctors that work out of the Ladysmith clinic approached the county shortly after the announcement about finding a way to ensure the clinic remained open.
“We knew that the (county) board didn’t necessarily want to be a landlord,” Heath said. “But at this time, it was the best option to retain the providers that we have that are beloved in the community, and to also retain the services here that our residents rely on.”
At a meeting on Tuesday, the county board authorized a three-year lease agreement with OakLeaf Clinics, one of the providers that belongs to OakLeaf Medical Network. Heath said the agreement can be renewed for an additional two years and allows OakLeaf Clinics to purchase the property at any time.
County Board chair John Kalepp said he knew the county needed to try to keep the clinic operating after going out for breakfast at a local restaurant shortly after the closures were announced.
“As I sat down and ate, all I heard for conversation was the people worried about losing their medical (provider) and what they were gonna do,” Kalepp said. “I’m talking young families to elderly people. So by the time I sat there for an hour, I pretty much walked out of there with my shoulders low.”
Kalepp said keeping the clinic operating not only preserves jobs for around 30 employees, but it also maintains health care options for the community. The only other medical provider in the county is Marshfield Clinic Health System’s clinic in Ladysmith. The next closest option is more than an hour drive from the city.
OakLeaf Medical Network previously announced they hoped to buy the Prevea clinics and HSHS hospitals. The network is working with a newly-formed cooperative to establish a new independent hospital in the region.
https://www.wpr.org/news/rusk-county-buys-local-clinic-amid-regional-health-care-closures
Thursday, March 14, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Minor
minor@eauclairechamber.org
Task Force expresses disappointment at HSHS's early closures.
Leaders of the HSHS/Prevea Recovery Task Force are expressing deep disappointment and concern over the recent announcement this week that both HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls and HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire will be closing on March 22, a whole month earlier than initially announced. The abrupt schedule change has left our community with a mere fraction of the time needed to adequately plan and address the impending healthcare crisis.
We are here today to underscore our community's resilience and urgent need for resources and healthcare services for Eau Claire and our surrounding communities.
"What was already short notice to lose these HSHS hospitals and the services of the Prevea Clinics becomes even more of a crisis with these earlier closures," said Dr. Bill Rupp, Co-Chair of the Task Force. "We are committed to working through all this, but this new development makes it even more challenging."
“We appreciate that there are staffing challenges as Sacred Heart Hospital employees leave for other jobs, but Sacred Heart is a regional level III trauma center and for other emergency rooms in the area every day it remains open is precious.”
The Task Force, unwavering in their commitment, remains steadfast in advocating for the best interests of our community. We will continue to work tirelessly, ensuring that any negative impact on our communities is minimized. As well as we will continue to work with existing and new medical providers who have already undertaken to expand or establish services in the Chippewa Valley Area and make these options available to the public as quickly as possible.
Current List of expanded and new services and providers
- Mayo & Marshfield OB Expansions
- Mayo Cancer Patients
- Mayo Dialysis
- Oakleaf Medical Networks - 26 independent clinics
- Pivotal Health
- Gateway Counseling
- NorthLakes Clinics
- The Remedy
- Aurora Community Services
- Solarte Health
- ReforMedicine
- Nomi Health/Success Care
- Midwest Detox/Wellbrook Recovery
- Spears Pain & Rehab Clinic
$15 Million in State Grant Money
The Task Force is in contact with the local system leadership at Marshfield Clinic Health System and Mayo Clinic Health System to accelerate the planning and implementation of services to address the most critical local healthcare gaps created by the closures. This is especially true of investments qualifying for the $15 million in crisis response funding from the state signed into law in late February.
"Our two major health care systems are in the best position to move expeditiously to identify resources and expertise to provide the hospital services that qualify for the new state funding," said Jerry Jacobson, Co-Chair of the Task Force. "It's critical that we put a specific plan forward for approval by the legislature's Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) and the Department of Health Services (DHS)."
The legislation enacted in February appropriated $15 million in unspent state funds initially intended for the Chippewa Valley in the 2021-23 state budget to make grants available for hospital services to address critical gaps created by the HSHS closures. The original bill limited eligibility to emergency room services, but the Governor used his partial veto powers to expand the type of services eligible. However, funds awarded to any grant application must be approved by the JFC, which will likely adhere more closely to the original purposes specified in the legislation.
In a swift and proactive response to the original announcement, the Eau Claire Chamber, in partnership with the Chippewa Falls & Menomonie Chambers, formed the HSHS/Prevea Recovery Task Force within 24 hours. The Task Force, in the face of this unexpected challenge, has been working tirelessly since the initial closure announcement.
The HSHS/Prevea decision is going to have significant negative impacts on the Chippewa Valley. We have an opportunity, though, to plan and develop a long term strategy that will have the Chippewa Valley emerge in an orderly and more robust position.
HSHS/Prevea Recovery Task Force:
- Jerry Jacobson (co-chair) President Northwestern Bank
- Dr. Bill Rupp (co-chair) Retired Mayo CEO
- Jeff Halloin President Landmark Company
- Karl Hoesly – President Xcel Energy for Wisconsin & Michigan
- William McCoshen – Michael Best Strategies
- Dave Minor, Eau Claire Chamber President & CEO
- Ashley DeMuth, Menomonie Chamber President & CEO
- Allyson Wisniewski, Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce President
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Community Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Occupational Chaplains of America Extends Personalized Support to Employees of HSHS Hospital and Prevea Locations
Occupational Chaplains of America (OCA) is proud to offer exclusive support to the employees of HSHS and Prevea of western Wisconsin at no cost, through a series of scheduled Zoom support meetings throughout March and April 2024. These dedicated sessions are designed to address essential aspects of well-being, including mental health, emotional support and stress management.
In this confidential and safe space, employees are free to openly express their feelings and experiences in a manner that feels most comfortable to them. OCA assures participants that all conversations with their chaplains are strictly confidential. Regardless of the preferred time for sessions, be it mornings, afternoons, or evenings, our chaplains are prepared to accommodate individual schedules.
To initiate the process employees can reach out to Neal at; 715-577-9271 via text, or visit our website at; ocachaplains.biz, ensuring a prompt and convenient response, with meeting dates tailored to their needs.
At Occupational Chaplains of America, the well-being of HSHS employees is of paramount importance, and OCA is committed to standing alongside them on their journey to personal and professional wellness
OCA is not associated with HSHS or Prevea in any way and there is no cost for these supportive services.
Occupational Chaplains of America provides certified Employee Support Specialists. Learn more about their services here: https://bit.ly/3OObNk8
In the face of recent challenges, The Coven stands in support of those impacted by the recent local layoffs. Recognizing the importance of a dedicated workspace during transitional periods, we are introducing a program tailored to uplift and empower you on your journey to new opportunities.
We understand that the job search process demands focus, professionalism, and a productive environment. That's why we are offering individuals affected by the recent layoffs ONE (1) complimentary Punch Card, entitling you to FIVE (5) days of access to our coworking space in Downtown Eau Claire. Day Passes can be redeemed Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Our flexible office provides the ideal setting for job seekers to browse and apply for positions, engage in virtual interviews, meet with prospective employers, and foster productivity beyond the confines of home. We recognize that during these challenging times, having a dedicated workspace is crucial for navigating the demands of the job market.
We stand united with those affected by recent challenges, and we are confident that brighter days are on the horizon. The Coven Eau Claire is here to support you in your journey towards new beginnings. Together, we will navigate this transition and pave the way for a future filled with success and fulfillment.