WCHQ’s Oral Health Collaborative, the only oral health collaborative in the United States, has reported outstanding patient care in 2023. The collaborative shared the following information, demonstrating that care as well as providing opportunities for improvement. This public reporting of quality metrics also drives improvement by fostering collaboration and sharing.

Pediatric Care

• Over 96% of children cared for by WCHQ members were assessed for carries (cavities). Nationally, nearly one half of children have an untreated cavity.
• Nearly 95% of Oral Collaborative members provided patients under the age of 21, who are considered high risk for cavities, with at least one topical fluoride application.

Adults with Gum Disease

• Oral Health Collaborative members improved their care for patients with gum disease (periodontitis) by 50% since last reporting cycle. With an additional Oral Health Collaborative member contributing public reporting data in 2023, the population for this measure increased nearly 50% since the last reporting cycle.

Member Recognition

Family Health Center of Marshfield is publicly reporting with WCHQ for the first time. Congratulations to all WCHQ Oral Health Members on continuing their work in the first Oral Health Collaborative in the nation. The work of WCHQ’s Oral Health Collaborative reflects Wisconsin’s commitment to advancing oral health and ensuring that every resident has access to high-quality dental care.

Are you affiliated with an oral health practice and interested in joining the WCHQ Oral Health Collaborative? Contact Jen Koberstein at jkoberstein@wchq.org to learn more.

First of Three-Part Colorectal Cancer Webinar Series Had Over 140 Attendees

WCHQ hosted the first in a three-part webinar series aimed at improving colorectal cancer screening rates. This webinar was focused on health screening and how primary care teams can work with patients to understand barriers to colorectal cancer screening, and partner with an equity mindset to reduce those barriers.  

Kelly Kruse Nelles, MS, RN, SPRN-BC, Executive Director of National RN Practice Development Center, LLC, shared strategies around patient engagement. Kruse Nelles stated, “There are many reasons why people may not engage in health screening, and many of those barriers are related to social determinants of health. To ensure equity in screening, it is important for clinicians to partner with patients to identify work together to address these barriers.”   

Nelles challenged the categorization of patients as “non-compliant” when they are unable to complete health screenings. Shared Decision-Making and Teach Back are evidence-based strategies to truly understand and work through barriers. For example, with good rapport, a provider may uncover struggles to miss work or find alternative childcare as barriers to screening. The techniques shared in this webinar will increase screening rates for colorectal cancer and other interventions needed in the future.  

Upcoming Webinars:

‍September 17, 2024: 
“Colorectal Cancer Screening Demystified” presented by Jennifer Weiss, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin – Madison. Dr. Weiss will share all the ins and outs of colonoscopy, including many different prep options and the colonoscopy process. Dr. Weiss will also share guidelines for post colonoscopy surveillance. 

October 29, 2024: 
“Alcohol and Cancer Risk” presented by Noelle LoConte, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Wisconsin – Madison. Dr. LoConte is passionate about cancer prevention and will share how alcohol contributes to cancer risk. 

Please register for these no cost webinars. Feel free to email questions ahead of time to Renee Sutkay. 

This project is funded in part by the Funding Opportunities for CRC Screening Update Strategies (FOCUS) grant through Exact Sciences.‍

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Video Storytelling as a Tool for Health Equity

Video storytelling is a powerful tool for advancing health equity by bringing the voices of historically marginalized populations forward. Through these stories, we gain a deeper understanding of the people we serve. The narratives foster a fundamental human connection, providing a platform for sharing experiences that highlight the complexities of navigating the U.S. health system —especially for those who face disparities in obtaining, accessing, and understanding healthcare, including vaccinations. 

WCHQ has partnered to develop a video series that offers brief but powerful glimpses into the experiences of individuals navigating the U.S. health system. These stories, developed in collaboration with ethnographer Katinka Hooyer and filmmaker Justin Goodrum, highlight the challenges faced by members of populations that experience disparities in healthcare, particularly in the areas of vaccination access and understanding. 

WCHQ members are encouraged to use the video portraits in training sessions for healthcare providers. They have already been utilized in healthcare systems, public health departments, Community Health Worker (CHW) trainings, and community partnerships focused on vaccinations.  

A discussion guide to the videos is also available, which will facilitate meaningful conversations and solution-oriented discussions. The guide provides an overview of the videos and includes questions and prompts to help unpack the barriers discussed in the stories, fostering a deeper understanding and driving change at the individual and organizational levels. If you would like to receive a discussion guide, please email Carmen Craker.

By integrating video storytelling into healthcare and public health initiatives, we can bridge the gap between policy and lived experience, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and effective healthcare system for all. 

Access all the videos’ YouTube channel.

‍This project is funded in part by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

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Maternal health care is foundational to healthy children, families, and communities across Wisconsin. In response, WCHQ announces the launch of a new Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Toolkit on our website. This toolkit is a comprehensive resource for healthcare professionals, support service staff, policymakers, and anyone concerned with improving maternal health outcomes. 

The toolkit provides resources and guidance to deliver optimal care and support to expectant mothers. The toolkit provides a wealth of resources covering critical areas including:

• Social Determinants of Health: Understanding the impact of socioeconomic factors on maternal health.
• Pregnancy-Related Conditions: Guidelines for managing common and high-risk conditions.
• Pregnancy Resources: A compilation of up-to-date information for expectant mothers and their families.
• Patient Resources: Tools and educational materials to empower mothers in making informed health decisions.

We invite all healthcare professionals and stakeholders to explore this new resource on the WHCQ website. Together, we can work toward a future when every mother in Wisconsin receives the care and support she needs for a healthy pregnancy.

This project is funded in part by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

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“What are some of the challenges WCHQ has faced working to identify and eliminate health disparities?”

“What opportunities are you seeing in WCHQ’s work in value acceleration?”

“Tell us about WCHQ’s Oral Health Collaborative.”

WCHQ President & CEO Gabrielle Rude recently participated in the interview series “Data Pioneers.” The series, hosted by WellStack President & CEO Rich Waller, is described as “bringing together the brightest minds in the healthcare industry supporting the transition to value-based care … with a focus on data and analytics.”    

During Gabrielle’s interview, she shares a bit about her personal career journey and how she landed at WCHQ, as well as describing various aspects of the work WCHQ. If you are wondering what those topics are –check out the interview! Visit WellStack’s YouTube channel and look for Gabrielle’s interview – Episode 7!

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In recognition of the WCHQ 20th anniversary in 2024, we are planning a member profile each month. ‍

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‍Member Name: ProHealth Care

‍Member Background: ProHealth Care strives to continuously improve the health of its community by delivering safe, reliable, effective, affordable and compassionate health care services. The health care system is the largest based in Waukesha County, serving more than 400,000 attributed lives. ProHealth operates a single electronic health record (EHR) and offers a wide range of services including primary, urgent, emergency, specialty and hospital care. Home health, palliative and hospice programs are also available along with employer-based clinics and a fitness center.

‍Number of Providers: : Approximately 1,000 providers (employed and aligned) who participate in ProHealth Care’s ACO, ProHealth Solutions.

Member of WCHQ Since: 2004

Current Quality Goals: “ProHealth’s medical group follows the WCHQ measure definitions for quality measures on: Breast Cancer Screening, Cervical Cancer Screening, Colorectal Cancer Screening, Diabetes Optimal Control and Controlling High Blood Pressure,” said Cathy Way, MD, family medicine provider and physician quality champion. “An interactive dashboard allows providers and staff to view performance and rankings, drill into patient-level detail and link to the EHR for seamless follow up on any gaps in care.”

WCHQ Engagement: Pete Bacon, ProHealth’s chief administration officer, serves as the WCHQ Board’s vice chair and treasurer. Cathy Way, MD, represents the health care system on the WCHQ Measurement Advisory Committee. ProHealth also participates in the collaborative’s educational sessions, uses its toolkits and submits data to allow for benchmarking to drive improvement.

‍How WCHQ has impacted health care at ProHealth Care: “Being a member of WCHQ has afforded us the opportunity to be aligned with quality focused healthcare systems,” said Pete Bacon. “It allows for meaningful benchmarking and engagement in data driven, evidence based quality improvement efforts, resulting in improved outcomes for our patients.”    

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