Rusk County to Pursue Puchasing Prevea Clinic Set to Close

Rusk County is exploring the possibility of purchasing the Prevea Clinic in Ladysmith, which is set to close next month.

As previously reported, all HSHS and Prevea facilities are slated to close in the coming months, with most closing by April 21 and two hospitals closing at the end of this week. 1,400 employees will be losing their jobs and many more losing their healthcare providers.

The Rusk County Board met in a closed session on Tuesday, discussing the potential purchase of the Prevea Clinic in Ladysmith. If they follow through on the sale, the county would turn operations of the clinic over to OakLeaf Medical Network.

OakLeaf Medical Network has also been exploring the possibility of turning HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls into independent community hospitals.

The motion to rent out the space to OakLeaf Medical Network passed with a majority of Rusk County supervisors voting in favor of the plan. The board is hoping to prevent the loss of one of the area’s few healthcare options for residents.

The move comes just a couple of days after Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers visited Eau Claire, calling for the state legislature to release $15 million dollars in reallocated funding for emergency departments in the area. Governor Evers used line item vetoes to make the funding more flexible, which has prompted a delay in its release from state Republicans.

Other healthcare providers have also announced they will expand their services in the area to help stem the gap in care for residents.