ThedaCare. PC: Fox 11 Online
WEYAUWEGA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Rural healthcare in Northeast Wisconsin is taking another hit.
After closing the labor and delivery unit at its Waupaca hospital a year ago, ThedaCare now plans to shut down its Weyauwega clinic, which is also in Waupaca County.
For generations, patients have come to the corner of Sumner and Mill streets in Weyauwega to see the doctor.
“It’s always been there, since Dr. Maasch had it. Probably 50 or 60 years of service there. So, a lot of people go in there for just small stuff,” said Weyauwega Mayor Rich Luedke.
The local doctor’s office was not only a place to seek medical care, but it offered convenience for people living in Weyauwega, which has a population of less than 2,000.
According to resident Nancy Robbert, “I live close by, so I see there’s a lot of cars parked out there during the week. Seemed like it was fairly busy.”
She visits the clinic every six months.
“I normally would go to the clinic and have the blood draw, and then they send it over to ThedaCare in New London where my doctor is, and by the time I come to see her on Thursday, she already has all the information ready for me,” Robbert said.
The clinic will close in June to coincide with the provider’s retirement. Patients at the clinic will be receiving phone calls about the closure.
Dr. Kori Krueger, ThedaCare’s senior vice president and president of the North Region Physician Group said in a statement:
ThedaCare is committed to meeting the needs of our communities through accessible, high-quality health care. As such, we continually look for ways to adjust our services to meet changing needs.
We are working closely with our patients to identify providers for their care at clinics that best meet their needs, as ThedaCare Physicians-Weyauwega will be closing effective, June 30, 2026.
Our team members are the heart of our Mission, and we greatly value the care team in Weyauwega. We are working with the clinicians to identify other site opportunities where they will be serving patients, with the goal of retaining all team members, other than one who is retiring.
At ThedaCare, our Mission is to advance the health of the communities we are privileged to serve, including the Weyauwega area. We look forward to continuing to provide comprehensive care services for patients in our area, including nearby in Waupaca, New London and Manawa.
Once the clinic closes, patients will have to travel to New London, Waupaca or the Fox Cities to receive medical care.
“I would be more concerned about the elderly who don’t drive anymore, because I think they kind of count on it, you know, for [the clinic] to be close by, and easy to have someone drive you over there if you’re not driving anymore,” added Robbert.
The mayor says ThedaCare doesn’t own the office space; it is rented. He’s hoping the owner, who is a now retired doctor, can find another health care provider to fill the space.
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