Hospital Sisters Health System has announced it will be closing HSHS hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, as well as a number of other western Wisconsin healthcare locations.

In a press release on Monday, the organization announced that HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls will close this year. Prevea Health will also close all of its locations across the Chippewa Valley.

According to the press release, most of the closures should be complete before April 21, 2024, with Prevea residency clinics closing by June 30, 2024. Officials say they will safely wind-down services and help their patients transition to other healthcare providers.

Prolonged operational and financial stress was cited as the driving factor for the closures. Officials also cited the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation, workforce constraints, and local market challenges.

In the press release, President and CEO of HSHS Damond Boatwright stated “While HSHS and Prevea intended to create an integrated health delivery model in Western Wisconsin in 2015, out operations in the region have struggled for the past several years due to a mismatch in the supply of and demand for local health care services.”

The closures will also impact over 1,400 employees of HSHS and Prevea, who will receive support and career transition assistance from the organizations.

“We are saddened by this outcome and recognize it will have an impact on our patients in these communities in the Chippewa Valley,” said President and CEO of Prevea, Dr. Ashok Rai. “Together with HSHS, we are focused on ensuring continuity of care for patients as well as helping them transition their care to other area hospitals and providers.”