Public welcomed to Marshfield Clinic Comfort and Recovery Suites open house

Posted 11/12/2015

Marshfield Clinic and Grace Lutheran Communities welcomed area community members to tour the new comfort and recovery suites on Thursday, Nov. 5.

Construction of the 12-bed suite at Marshfield Clinic’s Eau Claire Center, 2116 Craig Road, recently was completed and is scheduled to open to patients Nov. 16.

Clinic staff led tours of the suites designed for post-surgery patients to quickly 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, referred to in the health care industry as skilled nursing facilities, 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 an ASC, are part of Marshfield Clinic’s ASC expansion of services. They fulfill basic health care needs for patients to get back to health during a short-term stay.

Patients will typically spend three to five days recovering from surgery and other procedures completed in the ASC and can rest comfortably in the private, suite-like rooms with their families. Each suite includes a private bathroom and shower, in-suite dining, work space, wireless internet access and a sleeper sofa.

Patients who require physical therapy can begin their 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 that 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 75 new jobs in the three locations. Facilities in Marshfield will have 20 beds and open Nov. 23; Wausau will have 12 beds and open in December.

“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 has been helping our friends and neighbors in communities all over the Chippewa Valley since 1960. The non-profit organization specializes in rehabilitation, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care, child care, independent living, and adult day services.