Health Providers Cancel Plans To Jointly Operate Facilities In Wisconsin Rapids, Eau Claire

Two central Wisconsin health care giants have called off plans to jointly operate hospitals in Eau Claire and Wisconsin Rapids, but they aren’t closing the door on future ventures together.

In April, Marshfield Clinic and Aspirus signed a non-binding letter of intent to buy or build a hospital together in Eau Claire and to give Marshfield Clinic minority ownership of Aspirus Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids. The ambitious plans have been put on hold, according to Rick Nevers, Aspirus senior vice president of regional operations.

“At the end of the day, we both realized that we just had too many existing priorities that we needed to pay attention to,” he said. “We would not be able to give this our best effort.”

Nevers said Marshfield and Aspirus aren’t closing the door on future cooperation however.

“While on the one hand we are competitors, on the other hand we are both health care providers and we both realize the need to serve the greater good,” said Nevers.

Marshfield Clinic CEO Dan Ramsey said the organizations are keeping “an open line of dialogue,” but have placed formal talks on hold.