LA CROSSE, Wis. ― Starting this fall, the Student Health Center at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will look a little different. A new health services agreement between Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse and University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will bring Mayo Clinic care directly to students.

The agreement, signed Wednesday, July 20, at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, enhances student health services, with on-campus access to Mayo Clinic services and expertise.

"Convenience and access to high-quality health care services are essential for students to optimize their well-being and help them return to their daily activities as soon as possible after seeking care," says Paul Mueller, M.D., regional vice president for Mayo Clinic Health System in Southwest Wisconsin. "Mayo Clinic Health System will provide on-campus primary care services and seamless referrals to specialists if care is required outside the scope of the Student Health Center."

Mayo Clinic Health System has provided health services to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on an interim basis since November 2021. Under the agreement, familiar Mayo Clinic Health System and University of Wisconsin-La Crosse staff members will continue to provide care at the Student Health Center.

"This partnership between UWL (University of Wisconsin-La Crosse) and Mayo Clinic Health System ensures that our students will continue to receive accessible, high-quality health care right here on campus," says Joe Gow, Ph.D., chancellor of University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. "We are fortunate to have such an incredible health care provider in our community, and we are thrilled that our students will have increased access to Mayo's outstanding staff, services and technology."

Dr. Mueller adds that this agreement brings peace of mind to parents whose student may be navigating their own health care for the first time.

"When your student is at a university and needs care, it is comforting to know they're receiving care from one of the top health care organizations in the world," says Dr. Mueller.

Mayo Clinic Health System and University of Wisconsin-La Crosse expect the agreement will strengthen their collaborative relationship as they remain invested in the Coulee region. Both organizations are committed to addressing educational and patient needs within the community.

"At University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, we take great pride in not only our students' academic accomplishments, but in their health and physical well-being, too," adds Dr. Gow. "That's why our university motto translates to 'mind and body.' Mayo Clinic Health System shares this vision of holistic care, and we look forward to working with them to advance our goals on campus and in the community."

"Outside of direct patient care, Mayo Clinic Health System and University of Wisconsin-La Crosse have collaborated on many levels for several years," says Dr. Mueller. "This collaboration includes joint community events and forums, educational opportunities, a research agreement, and sports medicine and athletic training services. Also, many Mayo Clinic staff and leaders are graduates of the university, and continue to serve, volunteer and support the university."

The Student Health Center will continue to provide health services to Western Technical College students. Also, Mayo Clinic Health System shares a similar agreement with Viterbo University, providing health services and medical directorship to students.

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About Mayo Clinic Health System

Mayo Clinic Health System consists of clinics, hospitals and other facilities that serve the health care needs of people in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The community-based providers, paired with the resources and expertise of Mayo Clinic, enable patients in the region to receive the highest-quality physical and virtual health care close to home.

About Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse

Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse was the only health care facility in Southwest Wisconsin in 2021 that received the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid's 5-Star Quality Rating and Leapfrog Grade A for Safety, and was named in Healthgrades America's "250 Best Hospitals" and Newsweek's "Best Hospitals in the U.S."

Media contact:

• Brad Quarberg, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, News and Marketing Director, 608-785-8572, bquarberg@uwlax.edu

• Rick Thiesse, Mayo Clinic Health System Public Affairs, 608-392-9435, thiesse.ricky@mayo.edu

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