Chippewa Valley Cooperative Hospital Opens New Service

The Chippewa Valley Cooperative Hospital has officially opened another new healthcare service in Chippewa Falls.

According to a press release, the organization opened its new Wound Care Center at the former St. Joseph’s Hospital site this week, filling another gap in healthcare access left behind in the wake of the HSHS and Prevea closures two years ago.

The closures left Chippewa Valley residents struggling with inadequate access to critical healthcare. They also left the remaining healthcare facilities in the region struggling to keep up with the increased demand for their services, particularly labor and delivery services as well as their emergency departments. Aspirus Health is also building a new hospital in Chippewa Falls, but it will not be ready to open until later this year.

The Wound Care Center is the first new service launched at the Chippewa Valley Cooperative Hospital since its new Cancer Center opened in November. Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative officials are also still working to open more new services in waves throughout the rest of the year.

According to the press release, the new Wound Care Center will be able to treat a wide variety of conditions including burns, ulcers, traumatic wounds, and infections. It also features two hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers, which are designed to allow patients to breathe 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber to stimulate healing, repair damaged tissue, and restore proper blood flow.

Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative officials say the new Wound Care Center will allow them to treat more patients faster to reduce backlog and appointment wait times as well as helping their patients avoid preventable complications.