Funding to Expand Hospital Services in Western Wisconsin Continues to be Delayed

Friday, April 19th, 2024 -- 8:00 AM

(Hope Kirwan, Wisconsin Public Radio) Funding to expand hospital services in western Wisconsin continues to be delayed by a dispute between state officials.

According to Hope Kirwan with Wisconsin Public Radio, that’s left local leaders facing uncertainty about the future of health care in their communities. State lawmakers approved legislation in February to allocate $15 million for grants to support hospital emergency departments in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties.

The funding came in response to the closures of two hospitals and a network of clinics by Hospital Sisters Health System and Prevea Health. The hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls officially closed on March 22 and most clinics will close on or before April 21.

When Gov. Tony Evers signed the legislation in February to create the new grants, he used his partial veto power to make the grants available to support any needed hospital services in western Wisconsin. In response, the state Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee has declined to release the funding.

Evers had called the committee to meet on Tuesday to approve the funding, along with $125 million for PFAS mitigation. But committee co-chairs rejected the meeting, criticizing Evers in a statement for his decision not to sign the original bills.

Greg Hoffman is mayor of Chippewa Falls, which lost HSHS St. Joseph’s hospital and a substance abuse recovery center as part of the closures. He said the community has seen minimal disruptions in the last month, especially after other health care providers in the region stepped forward to take more patients.

But Hoffman said he and other leaders are still feeling apprehensive about hospital capacity in the wider region. Hoffman said there is concern about overwhelming local emergency departments. But he said the greatest need is general bed capacity of hospitals and mental health services.

HSHS Sacred Heart hospital in Eau Claire was the only hospital in the region that provided inpatient behavioral health services for minors and the treatment center in Chippewa Falls offered both inpatient and outpatient services.

Hoffman said his biggest focus remains on supporting the development of a new hospital in the region. Private physician group OakLeaf Medical Network established a nonprofit cooperative in the region to open a new facility.

Hoffman said that work is moving forward, but it will likely take three to four years before a new hospital is opened. He said it’s frustrating to see a lack of assistance from state officials, beyond just releasing the funding that’s already been approved.

A task force launched by the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce is also looking ahead at possible expansions while they wait for the state funding to be released.

David Minor, the organization’s president and CEO, told WEAU-TV on Tuesday that he is waiting to hear from Mayo Clinic and Marshfield Clinic health systems about how they could each use the state grant funding. He said supporting the expansions remains at the top of his list.

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