For Hub City Times

NEILLSVILLE – Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) and Memorial Hospital, Inc. have signed a letter of intent to provide more accessible quality health care services to the Neillsville community through an affiliation partnership. The signing of the letter of intent signals the start of a due diligence period to finalize terms of the acquisition with a goal of completing the transaction by June 30.

The two organizations have worked collaboratively for decades. Currently six Marshfield Clinic specialties are active at Memorial Medical Center, with Radiology most recently added.

“This new partnership builds on more than three decades of collaboration between our two organizations, and signals a future of health care in Clark County where patients will have even greater access to care delivered where, when and how they want it,” said Marshfield Clinic Health System CEO Dr. Susan Turney. “Combining our growing hospital presence in this region with our expert care providers and renowned health plan also represents another important step as we continue to build a fully-integrated system of care throughout the communities we serve.”

This affiliation supports the construction of a new $40 million medical, surgical, and outpatient clinic in Neillsville. The current medical center was built in 1954. The new center will further enable the two organizations in providing more accessible health care services to the community.

“This new level of partnership will enhance health care in Clark County by increasing coordination of one system in the delivery of care, providing a location for Marshfield Clinic to provide additional specialty care and aligns Clark County’s largest health insurer, Security Health Plan, with a local presence,” said Memorial Medical Center CEO Ryan Neville. “We anticipate a growth in local patient volume as Clark County residents will not have to travel to Marshfield or Eau Claire to see certain providers.”

Memorial Medical Center also will continue its partnership with Sniteman Pharmacy, the Art of Optometry, and Neillsville Care and Rehab.