source: https://www.wqow.com/eye_on_ea...
EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) - HSHS Sacred Heart, St. Joseph's, and Prevea clinics are all closing their doors in the Chippewa Valley.
HSHS and Prevea made the announcement Monday, saying they are going to "safely wind down services and transition patient care to other providers."
HSHS operates two faith-based hospitals in the Chippewa Valley: Sacred Heart in Eau Claire, and St. Joseph's in Chippewa Falls. Prevea has multiple locations including in Altoona, Menomonie, Augusta, Cornell, Rice Lake and Ladysmith.
Related: A look back at Eau Claire's oldest hospital, Sacred Heart
In a press release, hospital officials said the decision to close comes after "prolonged operational and financial stress related to lingering impacts of the pandemic, inflation, workforce constraints, local market challenges and other industry-wide trends."
“While HSHS and Prevea intended to create an integrated health delivery model in Western Wisconsin in 2015, our operations in the region have struggled for the past several years due to a mismatch in the supply of and demand for local health care services,” said Damond Boatwright, President and CEO of HSHS in a press release. “We closely considered all other options and sought strategic alternatives. After an agreement with a suitable partner did not work out, it was determined that exiting the market is the only feasible path forward.”
The closures will impact approximately 1,082 HSHS and 325 Prevea employees, "all of whom will receive support services and career transition assistance, including the potential to seek positions elsewhere in the organizations, if available," the press release said.
HSHS and Prevea locations outside of western Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley region are unaffected and operating as usual, the press release said. The majority of the closures are expected to be done by the end of April, with the exception of the Prevea residency clinics that will close by or before the end of June.