March 10, 2008, began a new era for family medicine in Wausau, when the new 27,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art UW Health-Wausau Clinic opened its doors.

The opening marked the completion of a 10-month, $6.5 million construction project to create a modern facility for patient care, learning, and teaching. The spacious, 2-story building offers:

• 24 exam rooms and two procedure rooms;
• Fully computerized X-ray services, accessible anywhere within the Aspirus system;
• A 64-seat auditorium for health care conferences, education programs, and workshops;
• Dedicated training, meeting, and administrative spaces; and
• Ample windows and natural light throughout.

The new clinic was designed specifically with patient-centered care in mind. For example, laboratory and ancillary services are now decentralized, meaning that they come to the patient, instead of the other way around. Nursing stations also now face exam rooms so nurses can observe patients more easily.

The clinic’s physical layout also encourages compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Administrative offices and training spaces are on the second floor, away from patient care areas.

But improvements to the building itself aren’t the whole story. The new clinic is now located on the campus of Aspirus Wausau Hospital, instead of several miles—and one highway exit—away. Patients, clinicians, residents, and students all benefit from the convenience of a primary care clinic just steps away from its referring hospital.

Staff are looking forward to the boost the new clinic will offer. “I think it will inspire more physicians to participate in education, and more patients to participate as partners in their own health care,” said Mary Zaglifa, MST, education coordinator for the Wausau residency program. “Our patient-centered model gives us a great shot at that.”

The clinic held a community-wide grand opening celebration on April 12, 2008.