September 2024
Wisconsin Healthcare Leaders To Be Featured at November Assembly
Statewide Quality Improvement Event and 20th Anniversary Celebration Slated for Nov. 7
Dr. John Toussaint, Executive Chairman of Catalysis, Inc., and a driving force behind the founding of WCHQ, will serve as the keynote speaker at our Statewide Quality Improvement Assembly and 20th Anniversary Celebration on November 7. His presentation, entitled “WCHQ’s History and The Future of Healthcare in America,” will share insights from the formative years of our organization, and his views on the future of the American healthcare landscape.
Dr. Toussaint will be joined by fellow presenters:
- Dr. Imran Andrabi, President, Froedtert ThedaCare Health, Inc., Chair of the WCHQ Board of Directors and will share his thoughts on the future of WCHQ.
- Dr. Julie Schuller, President and CEO of Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, a WCHQ member, will discuss the importance of FQHC data in the public reporting of health system quality data.
- Dr. Maureen Smith, Health Innovation Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, will discuss how important WCHQ’s data has been to research, and affecting change, in our state over the years.
The Statewide Quality Improvement Assembly and 20th Anniversary Celebration will take place November 7 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Madison East in Madison. Event details and registration information are available on the WCHQ website, wchq.org. Employees of member organizations may attend the event free of charge. Non-member registration fee is $80. Registration is requested by October 31, 2024.
Upcoming Events
“Alcohol and Cancer Risk”
Part three of the WCHQ three-part webinar series, "Improving Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates and Shared Decision Making"
October 29, 2024
12:00PM-1:00PM
Learning objectives:
- describe cancer risks related to alcohol
- discuss barriers to lifestyle change in clinical practice and strategies to improve
- share strategies to reduce excessive alcohol use
Funding provided in part by the Funding Opportunities for CRC Screening Uptake Strategies (FOCUS) grant through Exact Sciences.
Welcome to the WCHQ Team!
We are pleased to welcome Melissa Breen, Chief Operating Officer, and Danielle Etheridge, Executive Assistant, to the WCHQ Team.
Melissa joins us with a wealth of health care system and membership association experience, most recently at Marshfield Clinic Health System as Executive Vice President, System Transformation.
Danielle’s background includes event planning and social media/communications skills in addition to her executive assistant duties. She previously was employed with Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural GME in Sauk City.
September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month: A Call to Action in Wisconsin
Childhood obesity is a growing concern across the nation, with rates more than tripling in the past four decades. In Wisconsin, obesity affects nearly one in three children.
Examples of how health system member actions are tackling this important topic include education for families, advocating on policy issues such as healthier school lunches, and partnerships with local organizations to provide physical activity in safe environments. Many of our members also provide care coordination for children diagnosed with obesity, ensuring that they receive the comprehensive support they need—from nutrition counseling to mental health services.
One example of a targeted intervention is a collaboration between the YMCA and Aurora Health to provide referrals to the “Healthy Weight and Your Child Program.” This program provides children and their families with weight management and lifestyle changes. The YMCA has hired and trained staff fluent in Spanish to increase access for Spanish speaking families.
Several WCHQ members participate on Wisconsin’s multi-stakeholder Childhood Obesity Taskforce, which brings together healthcare providers, public health experts, educators, and community organizations address the root causes of obesity in children. The Taskforce is focused on promoting healthier eating habits, providing evidence-based treatment, and supporting mental health.
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month provides an opportunity to reflect on the strides we’ve made and the challenges that remain. It’s a time for healthcare providers, families, and communities to come together to raise awareness and ensure that more children in Wisconsin grow up leading healthy lives.
If you are interested in learning more about the work on childhood obesity, contact Jen Koberstein JKoberstein@wchq.org.
“Obesity is a global epidemic, and childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 50 years. While there are many contributing factors, this increase is closely linked to environmental and behavioral changes, such as greater access to fast foods, larger portion sizes, sugary drinks, and more sedentary screen time. By building healthy lifestyles through a comprehensive healthcare, family, and community approach, we can reverse the obesity trend. Doing so will improve overall health and reduce related conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.”
Dr. Sachin Jogal, SSM Health, Childhood Obesity Taskforce
Member Profile
In recognition of the WCHQ 20th anniversary in 2024, we are planning a member profile each month.
Member Name: Reedsburg Area Medical Center
Member Background: Over its 122 years of history, Reedsburg Area Medical Center (RAMC) has grown from an 11-room hospital to the healthcare system it is today. Over the last 20 years, RAMC has added hospital and clinic services, a surgery center and various levels of senior citizen housing. RAMC has had major renovations including a birth center, private patient rooms, lab, sleep lab and lobby area. Today, RAMC anticipates the opening of a new replacement clinic building in December.
Number of Providers: : 200 providers serving Reedsburg Area Medical Center
Member of WCHQ Since: 2014
Current Quality Goals: Cheri Brown, RN, BSN, MS, CPHQ, Director of Patient Safety & Quality, says one of RAMC’s quality goals is to address social determinants of health by identifying populations in need. These populations are identified through an assessment and provides direction for RAMC to implement strategies that improve healthcare equity for those who require more support. Brown says the WCHQ Disparities Improvement Team has been helpful to their organization by sharing ways to build relationships with outside organizations, providing network opportunities with similar organizations and sharing strategies that can be effective.
Improving care for the diabetic patient from an organizational perspective is another one of RAMC’s goals. Brown says, again, WCHQ has assisted the organization with educational opportunities for RAMC team members.
WCHQ Engagement: WCHQ Board of Directors member Robert Van Meeteren, CEO, WCHQ Advisory Committee member Cheri Brown RN, Director Patient Safety and Quality. Providers, quality team members, and clinical staff are actively engaged in WCHQ focus groups and learning opportunities.
How WCHQ has impacted health care at Reedsburg Area Medical Center: “We count on WCHQ to provide educational opportunities and initiatives in specific areas that will help improve our overall impact within the communities we serve,” said Brown. “WCHQ allows our critical access hospital and rural health clinic to collaborate with other organizations to discover new ideas, models of care, and new advancements in healthcare that help contribute towards improving patient outcomes.”
Additionally, Brown says the data that WCHQ provides helps them set benchmarks and establish achievable goals.
“The WCHQ dashboard has meaningful and respected data that we share with our teams to compare our organization with other ’like‘ organizations,” Brown concluded.
What’s in the Future for WCHQ?
Check out Gabrielle Rude’s interview with Wisconsin Health News and find out!
In recognition of WCHQ’s 20th anniversary, President & CEO Gabrielle Rude recently conducted an interview with Wisconsin’s health media resource, Wisconsin Health News.
Gabrielle shared WCHQ goals for this year, our members' work on addressing health disparities and plans for our future.
Protect Your Patients from Poor Indoor Air Quality
Join the Wisconsin Asthma Coalition Webinar: Indoor Air Quality and Patient Health
WCHQ members are invited to participate in a webinar hosted by the Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin on October 23, focused on protecting patients from poor indoor air quality. Titled "Engaging Healthcare Professionals to Protect Patients from Poor Indoor Air Quality," the webinar will provide healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to address the growing health threat of indoor air pollution.
Indoor air pollution is one of the leading health concerns of the next century. Healthcare professionals serve a unique and trusted role to assess and counsel their patients, however few are prepared with the knowledge or the tools to address this issue.
Register today for this important webinar.
