LACROSSE, Wis. – The jointly operated Gundersen and Bellin health systems have assured patients they’re in no danger of going belly-up. A joint statement followed a surprise decision by the Illinois company HSHS to close Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls hospitals and clinics and to lay off 1,400 employees. The joint Gundersen-Bellin statement expressed confidence that “our system will not be in a similar situation.” LaCrosse-based Gundersen and Green Bay-based Bellin came together in 2022 to form a single system. Their joint statement said that a team was being assembled “to provide parameters and guidance for what we can and cannot do to support the many people impacted by the situation in the Chippewa Valley.” The statement called the HSHS closure “an unfortunate example of what many communities are experiencing during significant, national challenges in healthcare.”
Earlier: Company closing Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls hospitals