LACROSSE, Wis. – Gundersen Health System is considering a role in the vacuum left by the financial collapse of major hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls and their health-related operations. “Our team is thoughtfully and thoroughly investigating opportunities,” said Gundersen spokesperson Christopher Stauffer. He acknowledged meeting with local officials “to help us make the best decisions.” Gundersen already operates seven hospitals and 65 clinics from bases in LaCrosse and Green Bay. Other healthcare enterprise already have expanded into the Eau Claire area:
> Marshfield Clinic. A new urgent care services at Lake Hallie.
> OakLeaf Clinics. More physicians and staff fat our clinics in Cornell, Ladysmith, Menomonie and Rice Lake.
> OakLeaf Medical Network. More services and capacity.
> UW-Eau Claire. More speech and audiology staff and services.
Expansion-minded. In 2020 Gundersen opened this 90,000-square foot clinic in Winona in direct competition with Winona Health. Gundersen has been also in merger discussions off and in the region. Negotiations with Marshfield clinic to create a 10-hospital system fell through in 2019. Negotiations with Bellin hospital system al out of Green Bay succeeded with a merger in2022