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It takes an average of 1 hour, 22 minutes after a heart attack to get ballooon angioplasty to open a closed heart artery at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse. That's an hour and a half earlier than the national average.
The number of deaths while hospitalized at Gundersen Lutheran is about the national average. Getting a short appointment with a doctor specializing in internal medicine takes an average of 8.6 days at Gundersen Lutheran's main clinic, but you can see a family practice doctor the same day at the Sparta clinic.
Gundersen Lutheran had the lowest length of stay (1.9 days) for uncomplicated vaginal delivery of a baby among the seven hospitals measured, but had the second highest average charge at $4,574.
These are some of the measures released Tuesday by the Wisconsin Collaborative Healthcare Quality in its first performance and progress report, which includes an initial set of 42 comparative measures of health-care quality and details the performance of six multi-specialty physician groups, seven hospitals and four health plans in the state.
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, its rural clinics and its health plan participated in the initiative. Trane Co. is a partner in the collaborative. Franciscan Skemp Healthcare did not participate.
Hixon House restoration still delayed
Local history buffs eagerly awaiting restoration efforts at the Hixon House will have to wait a little longer.
A series of problems has delayed the actual restoration process, though the money for the project has already been raised.
La Crosse County Historical Society President George Italiano said he is disappointed by the delay, but not surprised.
"I wanted to have it moving a lot sooner than this," Italiano said, but events beyond his control led to delays.
One event was the resignation of Rick Brown, director of the historical society. He resigned in July, citing differences with the board.
"The environment had become too hostile and counterproductive. It was difficult to do my job as I defined it," Brown said.
Sisters still fishing after all these years
The sunfish swimming near Chut's boat landing on Tuesday never had a chance.
Especially when you combine the plump, almost snake-like night crawlers that Clara Pieper and Lucy Wenger pulled out of their gardens with their secret fishing strategy — patience.
"You can't be running all over the place," Clara said.
The two La Crosse sisters — both long-time widows who live across the street from each other — grew up fishing on the Mississippi River.
Lucy, 86, and Clara, 83, have been seeking sunfish every fall at Chut's landing for at least 15 years. They never go home empty-handed, and Tuesday was no exception — both women had stringers filled with sunfish and perch by early afternoon.
See the Wednesday edition of the La Crosse Tribune for these and other stories.
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