OakLeaf Clinics Set to Open New Rice Lake Clinic This Summer

OakLeaf Clinics plans to open a new primary care facility in Rice Lake sometime in May or June following renovations to the building.

The healthcare organization has opened a number of new facilities in the region over the last year, hoping to fill the gaps in care left behind following the closure of the HSHS hospitals and Prevea Clinics.

While plans for new hospital facilities are moving forward in the Chippewa Valley, residents who relied on the closed facilities still need short term options. The soonest one of those facilities could be opened is later this year, if the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative finds it financially feasible to re-open HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital. Aspirus Health also plans to build a new hospital in Chippewa Falls which could be opened in as little as 18 months following the start of construction this spring.

While those projects will undoubtedly help area residents, Governor Tony Evers recently expressed concerns that potential Medicaid cuts could make it more difficult for them to operate. Failure to expand Medicaid in the state was commonly cited as a contributing factor in the HSHS hospital closures.

The new OakLeaf Clinics facility in Rice Lake will offer primary care and urgent care services for residents. It will also feature a full-service lab with imaging machines and space for specialist care.

According to a Rice Lake Chronotype report, community members have been calling for more healthcare options in the region. The chosen facility at 2900 Wisconsin Avenue used to operate as an eye care clinic before being purchased by the organization.