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WAUSAU, Wis. - Starting as two small rural hospitals in Wisconsin in the 1880s, the Aspirus System now has four hospitals and clinics in more than 30 communities in Michigan and Wisconsin.

Greg Aune, Aspirus media communication specialist in Wausau, Wis., said the two hospitals originally served timber industry workers. After some changes in ownership and names, the two hospitals combined and became Wausau Hospital north and south in 1974. The system's current main facility, Aspirus Wausau Hospital, opened in 1979.

Aune said the Aspirus System now has hospitals in Antigo, Medford and Wausau, Wis., as well as Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital and a partnership with Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital.

"We have more than 4,300 employees," he said. "Wausau has 350 physicians and 35 specialists."

Aune said there are 150 doctors in the system's clinics, also.

Bob Erickson, Aspirus System regional chief operating officer in Wausau, said the purchase of Ontonagon Memorial Hospital and partnering with Keweenaw Memorial Medical Center in 2008 were part of the organization's growth strategy.

"We've been growing tremendously over the last five years," Erickson said.

When Aspirus develops a relationship with a medical care organization, Erickson said it upgrades services, including information technology, at those locations.

Aspirus also is giving local residents the opportunity to get health care for minor ailments without having to go to a doctor's office or emergency room with its FastCare clinics, such as the one recently opened in the Shopko department store in Houghton.

Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie@mininggazette.com.