WHA Seminar Offers Guidance on Health Needs Assessment

David Edquist

While hospitals are familiar with the requirements for filing Schedule H and know that the Affordable Care ACT (ACA) requires that they complete a community health needs assessment, the process of "doing" has raised many questions as hospitals work through the process. WHA, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Healthy Wisconsin Leadership Institute, are offering a one-day seminar March 23 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

David Edquist, an attorney with von Briesen & Roper will begin the day and lay the groundwork for commuity health needs assessment and discuss recent IRS guidance on common questions. more...

Click here to register for this event.

Physician Shortage Threatens Patient Access, Quality

WHA Report provides recommendations, options for increasing physician supply

Physician report cover 2011 Health reform and the aging of Wisconsin’s population are two factors driving what could be an unprecedented demand for health care and fueling a physician shortage in the state. A new report released today by the Wisconsin Hospital Association raises concerns that a physician shortage is looming, unless aggressive action is taken now to avert a statewide crisis. more...

Read the report:
"100 New Physicians a Year: An Imperative for Wisconsin"

View the news release:
Physician Shortage Threatens Patient Access, Quality

News Coverage . . . click here.


WHA Forms Task Force on Graduate Medical Education

Wisconsin will face a shortfall of over 2,000 physicians by 2030—a number that equates to 20 percent of the current workforce—if steps are not taken now to address the shortage. WHA has taken the first step to begin addressing graduate medical education (GME) with the formation of a new task force. (Read more)

Partners for Patients logo

105 hospitals have joined WHA’s “Partners for Patients” initiative.

This ambitious program seeks to decrease inpatient harm and reduce readmissions through collaboration and quality improvement.

Click here to see the list of participating hospitals. To join, contact Kelly Court at kcourt@wha.org


Caring for Our Communities:
Community Care Story
Langlade Hospital - An Aspirus Partner, Antigo--
For a homeless person, obstacles abound and help may seem nealy impossible to find, especially when it comes to accessing health care. Often, even the most basic medical care is very difficult to get. Homelessness and health care are tightly interwoven and is often the result of a downward spiral that begins with a health problem. (Read more)

Wisconsin Hospitals are Committed to Quality and Transparency

CheckPoint PricePoint ServePoint Quality Center WICD-10

WHA Gold Members:
Coverys Staff Care WHA Financial Solutions
     
Hall Render Merritt Hawkins WHA Information Center

Priority Issues

Medicare Payments: On behalf of Wis. hospitals, WHA Pres. Steve Brenton wrote to Wisconsin's Congressional Delegation in strong opposition to Medicare cuts that have reemerged as Congress wrestles with how to fund physician payments under the sustainable growth rate among other provisions. (Read more)

 

State of the State: Governor Scott Walker addressed this past year's challenges and announced new initiatives focused on jobs, small business and a program aimed at improving the state's reading scores speaking to a crowded Assembly Chamber during the State of the State Address. (Read more)

 

Legislature:  The Joint Legislative Council met to review reports from several remaining 2010 Legislative Interim Study Committees, including those on Infant Mortality and Health Care Access. (Read more)

 

President's Column

Hospital Associations’ Letter to President Obama to "fix" Wage Index Manipulation


Steve Brenton, WHA President

 

Steve BrentonTwenty-one state hospital associations have asked President Obama to "fix" the Wage Index Manipulation (aka - Bay State Boondoggle) as part of his future budget proposal.

Our Coalition is seeking administrative address as opposed to aggressively lobbying Congress at this time given the importance of concentrating on stopping pending Medicare cuts. The field must concentrate on one issue at a time right now and the magnitude of another round of hospital cuts demands our full attention.

Nevertheless, "fixing" this outrage is a serious long-term objective. We want our money back! (Read more)