CHIPPEWA VALLEY HEALTH COOPERATIVE SIGNS PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL

Mar 13, 2025

COOP is Moving Forward on Both Fronts to Take Care of Patients ASAP and Build for the Future Now

CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI – March 13, 2025 – In a big step forward towards opening an interim healthcare facility while it builds its new state-of-the-art hospital, the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative announced today that it has an executed purchase agreement with Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) for the St. Joseph’s Hospital building in Chippewa Falls. The Cooperative and HSHS initially signed the letter of intent in December 2024.

The Cooperative’s goal is to start taking care of patients as fast as possible, using the Chippewa Falls medical building as an interim healthcare facility to provide urgently needed services while the Cooperative builds the new sustainable, future-forward hospital.

The Cooperative has 90 days to conclude due diligence to determine if reopening the hospital is financially possible. If it’s feasible, the Cooperative could open its doors at the St. Joseph’s campus as early as winter 2025.

“We are thankful that HSHS has worked collaboratively with the Cooperative while we ironed out the details of the contract,” said Robert Krause, Chair of the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative. “We’ve made good progress in our due diligence process during that time and are moving forward as quickly as possible with the rest of the required due diligence now that we have full access to the facility.”

Last week the Cooperative announced that local architect River Valley Associates (RVA) has been awarded the assignment of designing the new state-of-the-art hospital that will be built in Lake Hallie, Wisconsin, which is strategically located on Hwy 53 between Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls.

“Since we started the Cooperative, we’ve been singularly focused on making locally governed high-quality healthcare accessible and affordable for Chippewa Valley residents here as fast as possible,” added Krause.

Mike Sanders Managing Director of 1100 Partners and former CEO of Monroe Clinic, who has been working hand-in-hand with the Cooperative since it was formed, added, “While the cost to modernize and make the existing facility financially feasible for the next 50 years is prohibitive, we hope the we can open it and fill a critical need in the near and short term. We believe most expenditures required to open the Chippewa Falls facility will be transferrable to the new hospital and give us a leg up on operations.”

About the Cooperative

The Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative is an independently governed, locally rooted nonprofit organization committed to making high-quality healthcare accessible and affordable for the residents of the 18 counties in Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley region. Focused on patient-centered care, prevention, and education, the Cooperative strives to make a lasting, positive impact on the Chippewa Valley’s health and well-being for generations to come. Formed on February 29, 2024, the Cooperative is a Wisconsin Chapter 193 cooperative and a registered 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization. More information at www.chippewavalleyhealthcooperative.org.

 

 

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Kamal Thapar

Kamal Thapar, MD, PhD., FRSC, FAANS, FCNS

is widely respected by patients, their families, and their doctors. Dr. Kamal Thapar has served the region for more than two decades. He maintains one of the largest private neurosurgical practices in Wisconsin and provides the full spectrum of advanced neurosurgical care. Dr. Thapar has held leadership roles at Marshfield Clinic, Sacred Heart Hospital, and Chippewa Valley Orthopedics. He specializes in minimally invasive and reconstructive spine surgery, brain tumor surgery, pituitary tumor surgery, and skull base surgery.
Erik Dickson

Eric Rygg

President of 4th generation Silver Spring Foods and Huntsinger Farms, lives in Eau Claire with his wife and three children. Among his volunteer community service, Eric has served as Host and Executive Committee member for the 2021 Wisconsin Farm Days, and currently serves on Eau Claire Confluence Arts/Pablo Center, and the Culinary Advisor Committee for Chippewa Valley Technical College. He earned his BA from Middlebury College, and an MBA, Food Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University – Erivan K. Haub School of Business.
Erik Dickson

David Nelson

Retired after 30 years as a health system finance administrator with five national and regional health systems and five years in public accounting focused on healthcare companies, Dave Nelson dedicated his career to not-for-profit organizations providing health services for local communities. Active in the community, he has served on numerous nonprofit and private boards of directors, including as the Past Chair and Emeritus Board member of the American Red Cross of NW Wisconsin. He is also Disaster Assistant Director for the Red Cross, responding in leadership roles to over 25 disasters.
Erik Dickson

Mickey Judkins

is the CEO of Details, Inc. and a recognized business and entrepreneurial consultant. She has served on many boards in the Chippewa Valley and Madison, including as President of the Eau Claire Economic Development Corporation, and as a director of the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce board. She also served on Business Forward’s Local Leadership Council in Washington, D.C., working to bring the small business perspective to the President’s policy making. She was active on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Advisory Board for Chancellors Mash and Levin-Stankevich. In 2007, Governor Jim Doyle appointed Mickey Executive Director and Administrator of the Investment and Export Division of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. She graduated magna cum laude from UW-Eau Claire with a BA in Sociology. She lives in Eau Claire with her husband Jeff Rochon.

Erik Dickson

Peter Hoeft

is CEO and Owner of Hoeft Builders Inc, a 40-year-old construction management firm he has led for the last 20 years. Raised in Eau Claire, Peter attended Regis High School, where he met his wife, Jill; they have twin boys. Peter has served on many community boards including Chippewa Valley Airport Commission (current), WNB Bank (current), Children's Museum of Eau Claire, Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce, and the Eau Claire Area Economic Development Committee. He holds a B.S. in Construction Management from Colorado State University.

Erik Dickson

Erik Dickson, MD

has provided medical care to the people of Chippewa County for more than 25 years, his entire career has been dedicated to this community. As a family medicine physician at OakLeaf Clinics in Chippewa Falls and medical director for our Urgent Care locations in Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, and Menomonie, I’ve worked on the front lines of local healthcare—helping families through everyday challenges and urgent needs alike. I also work as a first responder and EMS Medical Director in Chippewa County. In addition to my clinical practice, I serve as the medical director for several area nursing homes, where I work closely with our senior population to ensure continuity, compassion, and dignity in care. My affiliations with organizations such as the American Academy of Family Physicians and the National Association of EMS Physicians reflect my deep commitment to best practices and physician leadership. I am board-certified in Family Medicine with the American Board of Family Medicine.

Robert Krause

Kyle Dettbarn, MD

has called the Chippewa Valley home for more than two decades. Since moving here in 2003, he has served this community as a physician specializing in pulmonary, critical care, internal medicine, and sleep health. Today, he serves as Board President of the Oakleaf Medical Network—a network that has remained committed to patient-focused care for over 30 years.

Robert Krause

Patti Darley

Vice Chair
retired, from Xcel Energy’s Customer Service Department and before that Cray, Inc.’s Technical Training Department. Patti is a long-time resident of Chippewa Falls, and is well known for her volunteer service in the community. She has been an elected or appointed member of the board of directors of HSHS St. Joseph’s and Sacred Heart Hospitals, the Community Foundation of Chippewa County, and Give Chippewa County, as well as in many other volunteer organizations. She has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University.