Hospital Sisters Health System, Prevea Health Exiting Western Wisconsin Market

Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), a faith-based health system with operations in Illinois and Wisconsin, announced this week that it’s closing HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls as part of a complete exit from the Western Wisconsin region. Prevea Health, a physician network offering primary and specialty care, will also close all its locations across Western Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley.

The majority of the closures are expected to be complete on or before April 21, the Prevea residency clinics on or before June 30. HSHS and Prevea locations outside of Western Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley region are unaffected and operating as usual.

Door County Medical Center (DCMC) began a partnership with HSHS in 2016, but HSHS’s decision to exit the Western Wisconsin market has no impact on DCMC, officials confirmed. 

The closures are a result of prolonged operational and financial stress related to lingering impacts of the pandemic, inflation, workforce constraints, local market challenges and other industry-wide trends, said Damond Boatwright, HSHS president and CEO.

The closures impact approximately 1,082 HSHS and 325 Prevea colleagues and physicians, all of whom will receive support services and career transition assistance, including the potential to seek positions elsewhere in the organizations, if available.