The Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce’s HSHS and Prevea Recovery Task Force has paused its work after a number of accomplishments.

The Task Force was established when HSHS and Prevea announced they would be exiting the Chippewa Valley entirely earlier this year, costing residents two hospitals and a number of clinics. Its goal was to address the short-term issues caused by the departure, and find a way to provide more reliable healthcare access in rural areas across Wisconsin.

Jerry Jacobson, President of Northwestern Bank and co-chair of the Task Force, said in the press release “Along with over 125 community leaders, the Task Force was organized to help prepare for a new healthcare landscape in the Chippewa Valley and promote an open dialogue about how best to address future healthcare needs.”

As part of the press release, the Eau Claire Chamber of commerce noted some of the accomplishments of the Task Force. In addition to spreading awareness and information about the issues with the community, the group worked with 14 new providers with interest in expanding to the area, supported the Rural Health Innovation Alliance, and worked with HSHS to ensure that money contributed to the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis Foundation would remain in the Chippewa Valley through partnerships with the Eau Claire Community Foundation and Community Foundation of Chippewa County.

President of Xcel Energy-Wisconsin Karl Hoesly, another member of the Task Force board, said “The Task Force provided a level of stability in our community during a very challenging time. As we move forward as a community, we are in a much better place because of the dedication and focus of the many volunteers who stepped forward to offer their expertise and guidance.”

In addition to the work of the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce’s Task Force, officials with the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative also recently announced important steps being taken towards the creation of an independent community hospital. Still, the region is facing a long, uphill battle to address the growing health care crisis.