2023 Prevea Clinic Data

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.

OAKLEAF CLINICS EXPANDS ACROSS WESTERN WISCONSIN TO FILL CRITICAL HEALTHCARE GAPS LEFT BY HSHS/PREVEA EXIT

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."

Full article here

Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls Area Hospital Utilization and Capacity Summary

• 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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HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital now to close on March 22, 2024

Eau Claire facility will permanently close alongside HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls

Prevea locations in Western Wisconsin will close on or before April 21, 2024

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – March 11, 2024 – Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), a faith-based health system with operations in Illinois and Wisconsin, announced today that, in coordination with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the system will complete its wind-down of operations and permanently close HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire on March 22, 2024.

This is the same date HSHS announced it would permanently close HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls. Both closures are a result of the system’s exit from the Western Wisconsin region.

“While the March closure of Sacred Heart is sooner than originally announced, our decision is based on our top priority: our commitment to maintain safe, quality care for our patients,” said John Wagner, President and CEO for the two Western Wisconsin hospitals.

HSHS is coordinating with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to ensure patient care transitions are well-planned and conducted safely. Staff, local fire and EMS and other acute-care facilities have been notified of the new timeline.

Existing patients at Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s will receive care through March 22, 2024.

Prevea Health continues to wind-down its Western Wisconsin operations with its last day of patient care to be on or before April 21, 2024, as previously announced; Prevea Western Wisconsin residency clinics and the UW-Stout location are anticipated to provide services through June 30, 2024.

All HSHS impacted colleagues previously received legally required notices related to the ultimate closure of the facilities, and the change in timeline for the closure of Sacred Heart will not impact HSHS’ commitment to provide severance and career transition assistance.

HSHS hospitals and Prevea Health centers in Eastern Wisconsin, as well as HSHS operations in Illinois, are unaffected and operating as usual.

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Media Contact:

Angela Deja
Public Relations and Communications Director
HSHS Wisconsin and Prevea Health
(715) 271-7707

angela.deja@hshs.org

Gov. Evers Approves Bill Securing $15 Million in Crisis Response Resources to Support Healthcare Access in Western Wisconsin After Recent Hospital Closure Announcements

Governor’s improvements to bill ensure flexibility for crisis response funding to be used for any hospital services, including urgent care, OB-GYN, and mental health services, among others

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today approved Senate Bill (SB) 1015, now 2023 Wisconsin Act 97, securing $15 million in crisis response resources to support healthcare access in Western Wisconsin in the wake of the recent announcement of HSHS and Prevea Health’s decision to close several locations. In addition to severely impacting healthcare access in the area, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD), the closures have been estimated to impact approximately 1,400 workers, among others, in the surrounding region.

Gov. Evers today approved Act 97 with improvements through line-item vetoes that will provide additional flexibility for the $15 million crisis response investment, enabling the resources to be used to fund any hospital services meeting the area’s pressing healthcare needs, including urgent care services, OB-GYN services, inpatient psychiatry services, and mental health substance use services, among others. Without the governor’s vetoes, these services would not have been eligible under SB 1015. Gov. Evers first made the announcement today in Madison while speaking with community leaders from the Chippewa Valley region at the Chippewa Valley Rally, an annual event organized by the Chippewa Valley Chamber Alliance, which represents the Chippewa Falls, Menomonie, and Eau Claire Chambers of Commerce.

“Recent hospital closures in Western Wisconsin have disrupted Wisconsinites’ ability to access basic, everyday healthcare services and uprooted the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of folks and their families,” said Gov. Evers. “My administration and I are working to do everything we can to support those workers and their families, as well as folks across the area who need to be able to access basic and emergency healthcare services alike.

“I’m proud to be securing $15 million in crisis response funding while using my constitutional veto authority to make improvements to ensure more flexibility so these critical resources can be used for any hospital services to meet the healthcare access needs of the Chippewa Valley region, no matter what they may be,” Gov. Evers continued. “It’s been clear in my visits to the Chippewa Valley region and my conversations with community leaders that the impacts of these recent closures do not end at hospital emergency doors—these closures are affecting access to critical healthcare services across the board, and we have to be responsive to these challenges to meet Wisconsinites’ and communities’ needs.”

SB 1015, as passed by the Wisconsin State Legislature, included unnecessary restrictions on the $15 million crisis response funding, limiting the funds to be used only for hospital emergency department services exclusively. The governor’s partial vetoes improve the bill significantly, broadening the scope of the grants that will be available under the bill and allowing the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to make the crisis response funds available for any hospital services that meet the needs of the region.

Concurrent with the governor’s announcement today, Gov. Evers also directed DHS to submit an official request to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s Republican-controlled Joint Committee on Finance to immediately release the $15 million provided for under Act 97. A copy of the request submitted by DHS to the Joint Committee on Finance today is available here. The plan request submitted by DHS reflects the governor’s improvements made to the bill today.

“I’m urging Republicans on the Joint Committee on Finance to approve the department’s request quickly to ensure these resources are immediately available to help stabilize and support healthcare access across the Chippewa Valley region, and to do so without delay,” concluded Gov. Evers. “This investment will go a long way in helping address the very real and pressing healthcare access concerns facing Western Wisconsin, and it is critically important that we get this funding out the door to folks who need it.”

Upon Joint Committee on Finance approval of the DHS’ request, the department will conduct a competitive grant application process for the $15 million in funding for eligible hospitals and hospital services meeting the following criteria:
Eligible hospital services are those provided in the Western Region, with priority for hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Counties.
Grantees must agree to expand capacity (capital and operational) at hospitals (defined as entities with DHS 124 license) that accept all payor types (commercial (consistent with existing networks), Medicaid, Medicare, self-pay, and uninsured) including any of the following services:
Increase Emergency Department capacity/service, including accepting patients in crisis in need of potential evaluation under Chapter 51.
Expand Urgent Care Services.
Expand Inpatient Psychiatric Unit accepting adults and/or adolescents. The unit must accept emergency detentions under s. 51.15 and voluntary admissions.
Expand Inpatient OB/GYN services.
Expand mental health and/or substance use services.
Expand or establish hospital-owned and operated ambulance service to transfer patients to an appropriate patient care setting.
Any expansion of services begun on or after January 22, 2024, is eligible for the grant funds.
The governor’s veto message detailing his partial vetoes of SB 1015, now Wisconsin Act 97, is available here.

EVERS ADMINISTRATION'S RAPID RESPONSE TO HEALTHCARE CLOSURES IN WESTERN WISCONSIN

While not exhaustive, details regarding the Evers Administration’s ongoing rapid response efforts to the HSHS and Prevea health systems closures are available here and detailed below.

DWD Rapid Response Efforts

DWD is coordinating rapid response with the local workforce development board. The rapid response support includes assistance with job search and placement, unemployment insurance application assistance, interview preparation, career counseling, and navigation of childcare and health insurance information, among other resources.
DWD’s rapid response teams are continuing to gather critical information, meet with the affected employees and employers, and identify opportunities to connect affected employees with new opportunities that provide family-supporting wages.
DWD and the local workforce development board hosted community job fairs to assist affected workers and the general public on February 7 and February 20.
DWD worked with the local rapid response team to offer 11 information sessions in affected communities.
DWD continues to coordinate with DHS and other state agencies to support continuity of healthcare services in the region.
Additional services will be made available via DWD’s mobile career labs and job centers for affected employees.

DHS Rapid Response Efforts

DHS has met with both the local leadership and the systemwide leadership of HSHS and Prevea Health, and the department will continue to have regular meetings with these leaders moving forward.
DHS is facilitating conversations between the leadership of HSHS and Prevea Health and the leadership of other regional healthcare systems, including Marshfield Clinic Health System and Mayo Clinic Health System, and is continuing to urge the three systems to increase transparency in their planning and decision-making.
DHS will continue to monitor EMS, trauma, and crisis response going forward, in addition to ongoing transition and continuity of care planning, including:
Coordination of an agreement to transfer certain patients from HSHS to Mayo Clinic; and
Necessary steps to ensure all local OB/GYNs have privileges at all local hospitals so they can continue to provide care locally regardless of the facility at which they are working. This is particularly important given the pre-existing shortages with regard to OB/GYN care in the region.
DHS’s Bureau of Human Resources has notified employees of the department’s Northern Wisconsin Center, who mostly use Prevea Health and HSHS, and the bureau is working with them to help them find care.
DHS is conducting outreach to facilities and organizations to encourage them to have a presence at upcoming job fairs in the region, including long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, DHS-administered facilities, etc.

Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) Rapid Response Efforts

OCI is in communication with Western Wisconsin insurers about their efforts to maintain access and provide timely information for their policyholders.
OCI continues to be in contact with health insurance enrollment assisters in the region to answer questions and support their efforts to provide clarity for insureds impacted by the closures.
OCI has been in contact with the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) on State Employee Health Plan issues to monitor the situation.
OCI has been in contact with the Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration to ensure they are aware of the situation and prepared to support people with employer-based coverage impacted in the area.

ABOUT THE DISLOCATED WORKER PROGRAM
The Dislocated Worker Program provides transition assistance to workers and companies affected by permanent worker layoffs. The rapid response teams help companies and worker representatives develop and implement a practical transition plan based on the size of the layoff event. Types of services include:

Pre-layoff workshops on a variety of topics, such as resume writing and interviewing, job search strategies, and budgeting;
Provision of information about programs and resources through written materials and information sessions; and
Career and resource fairs.
Workers affected by a permanent layoff may also access basic re-employment services at no charge through the state’s Job Centers. Certain services, including training assistance, may be an option for some workers after enrolling in one or more of DWD’s workforce development programs. Additional information on the Rapid Response Team process is available here.

Gov. Evers today also vetoed SB 1014. The governor’s veto message for SB 1014 is available here.

An online version of this release is available here.

On behalf of the Chamber Task Force for the HSHS/Prevea Closures – We would like to share the following statement on progress made after learning that HSHS and Prevea are leaving the Chippewa Valley. This news was upsetting and has left patients and our community questioning what happens next.

This past week, several communities and counties passed resolutions asking HSHS and Prevea to collaborate with local healthcare providers to ensure safe and adequate care continuity plans for patients impacted by the hospital and clinic closures. I’m pleased to share that the Task Force has received an unwavering commitment from the leaders of HSHS and Prevea that they will continue to work hand-in-hand with local area providers to ensure patient care needs are safely and responsibly transitioned.

We have also had conversations with the OakLeaf Medical Network leadership about their outreach to HSHS and Prevea. We understand those discussions are occurring between legal counsels for the parties, and, therefore, it is not appropriate for the Task Force to participate in those conversations.

The Task Force, along with our local communities and area providers, will continue to work to move forward collectively and to identify solutions that will best serve the Chippewa Valley Region—preparing for a new healthcare landscape in our community and promoting an open dialogue about how best to address future healthcare needs.

Over the past three weeks, the Task Force has been working with all of the medical partners to understand what each entity is able to assist with and areas that there unable to help with. Attached is information on three new companies: NorthLakes Community Clinic - The Remedy - Pivotal Health are investing in the Chippewa Valley area. These companies will directly affect gaps in services from the closure of HSHS/Prevea. Services will be available as early as spring of 2024.

The Task Force is pleased to learn that Marshfield Clinic Health System is doubling its labor and delivery beds at MMC-Eau Claire to meet the community's needs after the recently announced hospital closures.

They will be expanding its obstetrics unit from 8 beds to 20 beds, which could accommodate an additional 550 births a year. The hospital is actively identifying the level of additional staffing, technology needs and timeline to begin operating the expanded unit.

"As other hospitals and health systems are making difficult decisions, we have determined the steps we can take to increase delivery and labor beds for expectant mothers and their families," said MMC-Eau Claire President Brad Groseth. "We know the importance of having a comfortable space with high-quality staff and resources to deliver their child to families in the area."

They also stated that they are finalizing plans for an expected increase in patient volume, especially in emergency and urgent care, and that recruitment is underway for open positions, and additional job fairs will be scheduled.

“The Mayo Clinic Health System team is actively working to identify opportunities to safely increase our ability to care for more patients. Some patients needing cancer treatment, wound care and other services have already been transferred to Mayo Clinic Health System to ensure continuity of care. Other efforts include increasing the total number of patients we can care for in our five hospitals in Northwest Wisconsin, significantly increasing the number of deliveries we can do in our Family Birth Center and investigating ways to care for more patients in Emergency Departments and Urgent Care clinics across all our sites. We are using innovative approaches to serving patients in the comfort of their own homes, including working to expand our Advanced Care at Home program, which allows some patients who would otherwise need to be hospitalized to receive care at home.  Our recently introduced virtual care app, Primary Care On Demand, gives patients and community members 24/7/365 access to care, including video visits with a physician, for various urgent medical needs. For those who are looking for a new primary or specialty care provider, we have dedicated teams taking their calls.

In addition to an increase in patients needing care, healthcare workers and students have been impacted by these changes. We are working to match qualified healthcare workers with open positions that are appropriate for their skills. For nursing students and other medical learners who need clinical experience to complete their education, we are adding more than 10,000 clinical hours for training. We will continue to participate in the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce Recovery Task Force, which has brought community leaders together to identify and address the challenges patients and healthcare workers are experiencing”.

Richard Helmers, M.D., regional Vice President, Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin

The task force also wants to share that the leadership from Marshfield Medical Clinics and Mayo Clinic Health Systems continues to meet with the leadership of the Task Force to discuss the community's future healthcare needs and how these services can be financially sustainable.

As we discuss the community's future health needs, we must remember that any steps taken by our current or new healthcare entities that may come to our community to provide new or expanded services must be done so financially sustainably.

HSHS/Prevea Recovery Task Force:

• Jerry Jacobson (co-chair) President Northwestern Bank
• Bill Rupp (co-chair) Retired Mayo CEO
• Jeff Halloin President Landmark Company
• Karl Hoesly – President Xcel Energy for Wisconsin & Michigan
• 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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NORTHLAKES COMMUNITY CLINIC

There is a relative newcomer to our healthcare community, NorthLakes Community Clinic. They are a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), providing a wide range of outpatient primary care services, including medical, dental, and mental health care. They focus on Medicaid beneficiaries and uninsured or underinsured folks who often have significant challenges accessing the care they need. NorthLakes has provided pediatric dental services in Eau Claire for the past two years. Last fall, they added mental health counseling.

NorthLakes has existed for 15 years, with 17 clinics in small rural communities across northern Wisconsin. They planned to expand slowly in the Chippewa Valley, working with partners over time to check out the needs to ensure they both duplicate and compete with other providers in the area. FQHCs exist to fill healthcare gaps and improve access for underserved populations. However, those slow-growth plans have changed due to the immediate needs of our communities.

CEO Reba Rice, who lives in Altoona, said, "We're excited to work with the community to do our small part to fill the needs. It's going to take a lot of us doing whatever we can. There is much concern, fear, and anger in the community right now, which makes sense. And, there are also many positive opportunities and resources right here."

The services NorthLakes hopes to have up and running by May of 2024 include primary medical, pediatric, and general dentistry, mental health counseling, and full-spectrum outpatient recovery (including individual and group therapy and medication-assisted treatment). They are actively recruiting providers and staff.

Anyone interested in employment opportunities or wanting to be updated on their plans can visit their website landing page expressly set up for this situation. NorthLakes Responds to HSHS and Prevea Closings in Western Wisconsin – NorthLakes Community Clinic (nlccwi.org)

Reba Rice
Chief Executive Officer
(She/her)
NorthLakes Community Clinic
Office: 822 S Hastings Way, Eau Claire
rrice@nlccwi.org
(715) 209-8306 Cell
(715) 372-0323 Office

THE REMEDY

Dear Community Members,

I hope this memo finds you well during what undoubtedly must be a challenging time for the Chippewa Valley Communities. We are writing to express our deepest condolences regarding the pending closure of HSHS and Prevea Health and the impact it will have on the patients, their families, and the residents of your communities. The closure of such a vital institution brings forth a wave of uncertainties, especially in terms of healthcare access, and we want to assure you that we are committed to providing ongoing support.

Considering this unfortunate situation, we are pleased to introduce The Remedy Mental Health, a Wisconsin and Minnesota based mental health clinic committed to meeting patients where they are with forward-thinking treatments that offer a better quality of life. We understand the importance of mental health services and the impact that disruptions in care can have on individuals and their loved ones. While we are not able to fill the void of all the critical services impacted by the departure of HSHS and Prevea Health, we are uniquely positioned to maintain and enhance outpatient mental health and substance use disorder services. We are pleased to announce that we have successfully hired 95% of the employees of Prevea Behavioral Health outpatient clinics. This will provide for a seamless transition of care without any disruption to patients.

Our team consists of highly skilled and compassionate professionals, including experts in psychiatry with specializations in addiction, interventional, perinatal, hospital-based and outpatient psychiatry.  This diverse skill set ensures that we can address a wide range of mental health needs and offer comprehensive care tailored to the unique circumstances of everyone. Specifically, our team has a proven track record in inpatient psychiatry, providing compassionate and effective care to individuals requiring hospitalization. Our consult-liaison psychiatry expertise allows for seamless collaboration with medical, emergency, and surgical specialties, ensuring integrated care for patients with complex medical conditions. Additionally, our passion for addiction psychiatry enables us to address the unique challenges associated with substance use disorders.

The Remedy Mental Health goes above and beyond and sets itself apart as we also can provide cutting-edge interventional psychiatric treatments including transracial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and Ketamine/Spravato services.  Additionally, we can provide electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) if needed.  At Remedy Mental Health, we believe in providing comprehensive and personalized care to address the unique challenges that individuals may face. Our expansive clinic is equipped to cater to a spectrum of mental health concerns, ensuring that each patient receives the attention and support they require for their well-being.

Moreover, we understand the broader impact of the hospital closure on the community, including potential job losses. The Remedy Mental Health is committed to working collaboratively with the community to alleviate these concerns. We aim to create a supportive environment for both patients and residents, fostering a sense of continuity in care and stability in employment.

We are here to assist and support you during this transition, and we look forward to the opportunity to contribute positively to the mental health and well-being of the Chippewa Valley Communities. Please see the attached guide that provides further information on our clinic and how we can help meet the needs of your communities.

Danielle Golden, CRNA
CEO
danielle@theremedymn.com
218-355-1891

PIVOTAL HEALTH

Urgent healthcare, delivered right to your doorstep. That's the innovative vision behind Pivotal Health, a Wisconsin-based startup that's transforming healthcare access and affordability.

Since launching in 2021, Pivotal Health has provided over 10,000 on-demand home visits across metro Wisconsin, bringing urgent care, primary care and preventative health directly to patients. Their network of providers travel to you, at the time you choose, sparing you those dreaded waits in a crowded clinic or hospital ER.

Through an intuitive tech platform, Pivotal Health makes every part of the healthcare experience remarkably seamless - from insurance coverage verification and transparent pricing, to automated scheduling, payment, clinician charting and follow-up care. Patients benefit from convenience and lower costs, with visits a fraction of the price of an ER trip. Providers benefit from streamlined workflows that enable a new care delivery model.

Now, Pivotal Health is actively looking to expand their innovative model for urgent care and primary care to the Chippewa Valley region. They have providers in the area ready to start seeing patients in March. Pivotal Health is fully in network with all major and regional health insurers including UnitedHealth care, BlueCross BlueShield, Network Health, Medicare, and more.

They're in talks with stakeholders about financing growth, and meeting with employers about a direct-to-business offering that radically lowers company healthcare costs. At its core, Pivotal Health aims to make quality care more accessible and affordable using smart technology. That innovative vision is transforming Wisconsin's healthcare landscape for the better.

Some notes:

• Pivotal Health has an innovative model for clinician house calls for urgent care and primary care for patients of all ages - easier for consumers and for our providers.
• We've done over 10,000 visits across 3 WI metro areas since starting our operations in late 2021.
• We have a team of providers in the Eau Claire area that want to work for us and bring our model to the region. We can start seeing patients in less than a month - March 2024.
• We will serve Eau Claire County, Chippewa County, and Dunn County initially.
• We are looking for $1 million of investment and/or debt for our expansion costs.
• We are also looking for employers that are interested in signing up for our Direct Care model. We already have a few employers with over 300 employees ready to sign up.

Sal Braico
Chief Executive Officer
Pivotal Health
sal.braico@pivotalhealth.care
Mobile: 608-213-8246
Main: 888-688-4746
https://pivotalhealth.care/
3030 Laura Lane, Suite 130
Middleton, WI 53562

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