Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative Could Reopen St. Joseph’s

The Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative is considering a short-term fix to the region’s healthcare crisis while planning a new hospital.

On Monday, the organization announced that it had signed a letter of intent to purchase the St. Joseph’s Hospital property in Chippewa Falls from HSHS. The facility closed earlier this year, leaving residents without a local hospital.

The announcement comes just days after the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative announced plans for a new independent community hospital in Lake Hallie. Aspirus Health has also announced plans to build a new hospital in the Chippewa Falls area, which could be open in as little as 18 months after the organization obtains the necessary approvals.

According to their press release, the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative is hoping to stem the loss of healthcare access in the region while their new Lake Hallie facility is under construction. The new hospital is not expected to open until late 2027, but if the cooperative finds the plan financially feasible the St. Joseph’s facility could be reopened by the end of 2025.

In a statement, Chair of the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative Robert Krause said “The new facility we’ve planned in Lake Hallie is fundamental to the long-term sustainability of the hospital. At the same time, if we can, reopening the St. Joseph’s facility in 2025 will help us serve patients faster and doesn’t impede our plans or ability to open the new hospital.”

The organization has until April to make that determination. They plan to begin the onsite evaluation process for the property this week.