WAUSAU, WI (OnFocus) – Aspirus Health is taking immediate action to increase access at its locations nearest communities impacted by pending hospital and clinic closures in Western Wisconsin.
In recent weeks, community leaders and patients have expressed concern over plans to permanently close hospitals in Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire, Wis., as well as multiple clinics throughout the surrounding area.
“We understand how important it is for people to have excellent, compassionate health care when they need it,” said Matthew Heywood, President and CEO of Aspirus Health. “We serve communities along the eastern edge of the Chippewa Valley and are moving quickly to safely increase our capacity to support patients seeking health care services.”
With easy access from State Highway 29, Aspirus offers inpatient and surgical services at hospitals in Stanley and Medford; and Aspirus clinics in Gilman, Medford, Owen, Stanley and Thorp are welcoming new patients.
To help meet an influx of new patients, Aspirus is:
- Adding six inpatient beds and increasing surgical capacity at Aspirus Stanley Hospital.
- Adding eight inpatient beds at Aspirus Medford Hospital.
- Building additional ancillary service capacity within hospitals and clinics, such as lab, imaging and wound care.
- Enhancing resources at its tertiary care center in Wausau and at other regional hospitals to accommodate more referrals and specialty outreach services.
- Accelerating recruitment efforts to meet anticipated needs.
Aspirus also is close to finalizing an affiliation with St. Luke’s in Duluth, Minn., that would further expand care access for the region. Aspirus and St. Luke’s hope to complete the affiliation in the coming weeks, pending final regulatory approvals.
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Author: News Desk
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