Expanding Care in Fox Cities, WI

Growing health care services meet local demand in the Fox Cities region.

By Patsy B. Weiler on July 13, 2023

ThedaCare 

High quality health care – available right now and right at home – is a hallmark of the Fox Cities area. Residents have access to more than 900 physicians and 700 beds between three major regional health care systems that offer innovative technology, new state-of-the-art facilities, specialty services and more.

$100M Investment 

A trusted health partner, ThedaCare has been committed to improving the health and well-being of the communities it has served for more than 110 years.

Construction is continuing following the $100 million investment the health care system made to modernize the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah campus, growing services to provide leading-edge local care in the Fox Cities. Key elements include expanding and redesigning the emergency department, building an adjacent additional ThedaStar air medical program helipad, creating and renovating nearly a dozen operating rooms, as well as other updates to ensure coordinated care and easier patient access. 

The project, slated for completion in early 2024, was funded in part through gifts to the ThedaCare Foundation-Neenah and other community contributions.

Also, during April 2023, ThedaCare and Froedtert Health took the first steps to combine the two, long-standing Wisconsin-based organizations into one health system. The purpose of the joint venture was designed to advance local care for their patients and improve the health and well-being of the respective communities.

“We feel a deep sense of responsibility to come together. In doing so, we will work to build a better future for our communities, addressing health disparities, enhancing access to a broader array of care, and making it easier to navigate the health care system,” says Jim Kotek, ThedaCare board of trustees’ chair.

Kahler Slater

Treating the Whole Child                                         

The Children’s Wisconsin Fox Valley Hospital is the only dedicated pediatric hospital in the Fox Valley region. It has 42 inpatient beds and a 22-bed Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and provides transport to Children’s Wisconsin Milwaukee Hospital.

With a focus on the physical, emotional, mental and social well-being of children in the region, Children’s Wisconsin has made a commitment to invest $30 million in the Fox Valley during the next decade. Part of this investment includes the new Children’s Appleton Clinic, which opened in early 2023. The move consolidated its specialty clinics at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah and the Children’s Wisconsin Fox Valley Child Advocacy Center, allowing Children’s Wisconsin to go from serving 20,000 area youngsters to up to 70,000 during the next decade.

Comprehensive Health Care for All Life Stages

With a focus on providing access to care that’s close to home, Ascension Wisconsin serves the Fox Cities with two hospitals plus an extensive network of primary and specialty care clinics. The two hospitals – Ascension NE Wisconsin-St. Elizabeth Campus in Appleton and Ascension Calumet Hospital in Chilton – deliver specialty and 24/7 emergency services when more advanced support is needed.  

Ascension St. Elizabeth offers advanced surgical treatment for serious and life-threatening injuries and illnesses. This facility is a destination for specialty care – including heart and vascular health, cancer care, radiology, breast health and behavioral health.

A wide range of minimally invasive procedures are available using robotic-assisted technology, plus imaging, lab tests and a dedicated inpatient rehabilitation center – all on one campus.

With urgent care, family medicine and specialty care services available, Prevea Health offers comprehensive health care for all ages and life stages.

Prevea currently has two locations in the Fox Cities region as well as business partners. Its initial facility was established in 2019, and another state-of-the-art health center was introduced in Grand Chute in 2022.

In addition, Prevea provides athletic training services to Kimberly High School athletics as well as health care partnerships with Neenah Joint School District, Kimberly Area School District, Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC), YMCA of the Fox Cities, Werner Electric Supply, Heartland Label Printers, UA 400 and many more for direct access to care.

Launching in the summer of 2024, the third health center in downtown Appleton at Fox Commons will feature physical therapy, health and wellness offerings, and behavioral care encompassing counseling and psychiatric consultations. This facility aims to enhance accessibility to high-quality medical care, with a focus on both mental and physical well-being, for individuals residing, working and studying in the downtown area.