HSHS closed both St. Joseph’s Hospital and Eau Claire, Wis.-based Sacred Heart Hospital in late March.
The cooperative shared plans to build an independent nonprofit community hospital and emergency department in late May, which is expected to open in the fall of 2027.
“The Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative earlier this month sent HSHS a letter of intent stating interest in potentially purchasing St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls,” a spokesperson for HSHS said in a Dec. 13 statement shared with Becker’s. “A letter of intent by its nature is nonbinding, and no formal offer has been made or received.”
Under the letter of intent, the cooperative would have until early April to determine if it is financially possible to reopen the hospital, according to a Dec. 9 news release.
“The St. Joseph’s facility has significant deferred maintenance that may need to be addressed before the hospital can be reopened,” the release said. “If it’s feasible, the cooperative could open its doors at the St. Joseph’s campus as early as fall 2025.”
The onsite evaluation process of St. Joseph’s begins the week of Dec. 9.
