Waupaca, Wis. – ThedaCare is strengthening rural health care with a $16 million expansion of the emergency department at ThedaCare Medical Center‑Waupaca. The project, which broke ground this week, will add 10,000 square feet of space, increase treatment rooms from eight to twelve, and include a new ambulance bay designed for larger emergency vehicles.
Why the expansion matters for families
Waupaca’s population is aging, and the city welcomes a steady stream of seasonal visitors each summer. “We max out in space in the summer. We are seeing patients in the waiting room and in other nooks and crannies. And so it’s time,” said Lynn Detterman, President of the North Region of Froedtert ThedaCare. “Our services are in need of expanding and so we want to make sure that we have the right space and resources for this community.”
By increasing the number of treatment rooms, the new emergency department will give patients, families, and caregivers more room to receive care comfortably. “Increasing capacity allows us to better accommodate patient volume while improving the flow of care throughout the department,” added Jenny Derks, Vice President of ThedaCare Medical Centers‑New London and Waupaca.
Benefits for staff and patients alike
The larger rooms are intended to improve morale among nurses, technicians, and physicians. “As many of the men here can understand happy wife happy life. If you have happy nurses, happy techs, happy physicians it translates to great care and happy patients,” said Dr. William Kumprey, an emergency‑room physician at the facility.
Beyond the emergency department, ThedaCare has recently introduced robotic surgery options, expanded behavioral‑health services, and added primary‑care physicians to meet the community’s broader health needs.
Timeline and future outlook
The construction is slated for completion in early 2028, at which point the expanded emergency department will open its doors to the public. Local leaders and residents have expressed optimism that the investment will help keep Waupaca’s rural hospital viable at a time when many similar facilities across the nation face closure.
“Investing in our smaller facilities shows ThedaCare’s commitment to the people of Waupaca,” said a city council member who attended the groundbreaking ceremony. “It’s a concrete step toward ensuring that families here have reliable, high‑quality emergency care close to home.”
The project reflects a broader trend of health‑care providers prioritizing rural access, a principle that aligns with the community’s values of family safety and personal liberty. By expanding capacity now, ThedaCare aims to reduce travel times for critical care and to support the health of Waupaca’s growing and aging population for years to come.
Original reporting: FOX 11 WLUK Green Bay (local) — read the source article.
