Nov. 27, 2015
Marshfield Clinic welcomes community members to tour the new comfort and recovery suites from 5-7 p.m. Dec. 8.
Construction of the 12-bed facility at the Clinic’s Wausau Center, 2727 Plaza Drive, is completed and scheduled to open for patient care later in December.
During the open house Clinic staff will lead tours of the suites, designed for post-surgery patients to return to good health.
Eau Claire-based Grace Lutheran Communities, which brings expertise in managing such facilities, will provide services at the comfort and recovery suites owned by Marshfield Clinic. This collaboration was announced in September.
These new post-surgery areas have a small number of beds in private suites that provide patients with 24-hour access to care and medical staff, including physicians and nurses. The suites, physically connected to the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), are part of Marshfield Clinic’s ASC expansion of services. They fulfill basic health care needs for patients to recover during a short-term stay, rather than having to stay in a hospital.
Patients will typically spend three to five days recovering from surgery and other procedures completed in the ASC and can rest comfortably in the rooms with their families. Each suite includes a private bathroom and shower, in-suite dining, workspace, wireless Internet access and a sleeper sofa.
Patients who require physical therapy can begin rehabilitation during their stay. An onsite bistro with chef-prepared meals and a lounge area allows patients to enjoy time with their family.
“Our goals are to provide superb patient experience in a high-quality fashion our patients deserve from Marshfield Clinic, while helping them back to good health and home as quickly as possible,” said Scott Polenz, administrator, Marshfield Clinic. “Our collaboration with Grace Lutheran brings decades of experience and expertise in this type of setting that is comfortable for patients and their families.”
Construction of comfort and recovery suites at Marshfield Clinic centers in Eau Claire, Marshfield and Wausau and the collaboration with Grace Lutheran Communities created a total of 75 new jobs in the three locations. Facilities in Eau Claire, 12 beds, and Marshfield, 20 beds, opened for patient care in November.
Patients in Eau Claire already are pleased with the service. One patient wrote, “My stay here could not have been any better. You have a heck of a team here. Every nurse was nicer than the last one; they go out of their way. My orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Scott Cameron, sure sent me to the right place.”
“Technology and partnerships are improving care for so many people all over Wisconsin and collaborating with Marshfield Clinic allows us to use our expertise to deliver quality rehab service for more people than ever before,” said Grace Lutheran Communities CEO Mike Christensen.
Grace Lutheran Communities (www.graceluthfound.com) has been providing care in the Chippewa Valley since 1966. The non-profit organization specializes in rehabilitation, assisted living, skilled nursing, school-age child care, independent living and adult day services.
Marshfield Clinic (www.marshfieldclinic.org) provides patient care, research and education with more than 50 locations in northern, central and western Wisconsin, making it one of the largest comprehensive medical systems in the United States.
