The year is almost over, and by all accounts, 2008 was a major success for the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Once again, Wisconsin was ranked among the very highest in the nation for the quality of its health care by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The fact that Wisconsin hospitals have committed the resources and are driven to continuously provide the highest quality patient care was in no small part responsible for the high ranking.

Wisconsin’s collaborative approach to quality improvement caught the attention of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which chose Wisconsin as one of 14 states in the nation to participate in what the RWJF called its most ambitious initiative in its history. The "Aligning Forces for Quality" grant will enable Wisconsin hospitals, clinics, quality improvement organizations, and consumers to work together to attain even higher quality, greater efficiency and fewer disparities in the health care delivery system.

In 2008, WHA continued to pursue Medicaid payment improvements, setting the stage for securing meaningful payment improvements in the Medicaid program in 2009. WHA staff met with more than 60 candidates before the election to ensure they understood the financial challenges that Wisconsin hospitals face meeting their mission to serve the health care needs of their communities.

WHA staff worked closely with the Wisconsin Council on Medical Education and Workforce (WCMEW) to develop what is a first-of-its-kind Web site to attract physicians to set up practice in Wisconsin. The www.WisconsinPhysicianCareers.org Web site was an overnight success with hospital-based recruiters and physicians seeking career opportunities alike.

Also working with WCMEW, WHA authored and coordinated the release of the latest physician workforce report, "Who Will Care For Our Patients?" This report confirms that without access to primary care physicians, health reform is not possible. WHA will continue to work closely with members and WCMEW to stay at the forefront of this critical issue.

WHA President Steve Brenton attributed the Association’s success in 2008 to both WHA staff and members. Member support of the Association goals indicates their continued commitment to improve the health of their patients and their communities.

In just over three years of existence, WHA’s Hospitals Education & Advocacy Team (HEAT) has grown to over 1,400 advocates across Wisconsin. I have been privileged to work with these hospital employees, volunteers and trustees every day as we mobilize together to make sure our legislators understand the role of Wisconsin’s community hospitals and the impact of legislation of our facilities.

In order to evaluate the HEAT program to date and to benchmark our efforts for the future, all HEAT members received a survey in December. The following provides a summary of those results and action steps for the future.

2008 HEAT Survey – Snapshot of Results

Thank you to the close to 350 individuals who responded. The higher than average response rate allows us to confidently analyze these results:

• 99 percent believe the program provides either "excellent" or "good" value (53 percent, 46 percent respectively)
• 84 percent said they have contacted their legislators at least once this session.
• 53 percent said they had attended at least one in-district town hall meeting/listening session with their legislator.
• When asked what the HEAT program has helped members do (multiple responses could be used):
• 86 percent said it helped them understand issues that impact hospitals
• 34 percent said it helped them understand the legislative process
• 31 percent said it helped them understand how to effectively communicate with legislators
• 31 percent said it helped them specifically impact legislation
• 13 percent said it helped them personally build relationships with legislators

As we move into 2009, the following survey questions and responses will help guide the HEAT program for what is shaping up to be a very interesting legislative session.

• 86 percent responded that they would use a password protected web site to email legislators, access additional issue information.
  
• Action Step: Engaging HEAT members is essential in order for us to successfully impact legislation in 2009. While 84 percent of respondents contacted legislators at least once, as noted earlier, this number must continue to be increased. HEAT is now in the process of evaluating whether new Web software will help us in this regard.

• 76 percent said they would participate in one-hour online "webinars" on timely legislative issues and grassroots training.
  
• Action Step: We’ve learned that our advocates rely on the HEAT program to learn about pending issues. HEAT will use online educational/training webinars to help further educate advocates. The first such webinar took place on December 17 with attendees from over 30 different hospitals.

• When asked what resources would help participants become better advocates, 50 percent responded they would like more information on legislation, and 32 percent said more information on how to effectively communicate with legislators (36 percent responded they felt resources were fine as is).
  
• Action Step: HEAT will work to provide issue papers, background information and grassroots training materials to advocates as needed.

Thank you again to all the HEAT members who volunteered their time to participate in this survey and who continue to make a difference on behalf of their community hospitals!

Blessings and joy,
Jenny

Members "Tell Their Story" About the Value of HEAT

"Prior to the HEAT program I was not aware of health care legislation and how, as a health care professional, I could learn more and perhaps impact the legislative process. I have contacted my legislators every time I receive a HEAT alert, and without that prompting, I would not otherwise be engaged in having a voice. This type of resource is invaluable to me." - a hospital employee

"HEAT gives me specific ‘actionable insight that allows me to have credible contact with my local legislator. I always appreciate the insight and information." - a hospital CEO

"I do feel the HEAT program is a vital resource for us [as hospital volunteers]. I have never called my legislators until this year. I called several of them it was easier to do because of the information given…I also took a step forward during the last presidential race and volunteered locally…I feel these steps for me would not have been as easy [otherwise]." – a hospital volunteer

"I feel I have established a level of trust with my area legislator…He seems comfortable and open with me every year I meet with him at Advocacy Day." – a hospital employee

"I feel that my legislators know me personally since I have become more engaged in the legislative process. I attribute my involvement with my legislators to the information learned from being a member of HEAT." – a hospital volunteer

"HEAT brings a realness to the issue and a clearer understanding and depth to the issue at hand…HEAT allows me to have a better, more thorough understanding of the issue, come to a better conclusion and help others have a better understanding…. – a hospital employee

The Wisconsin Hospital Association is fortunate to have many individuals who are willing to serve on Association councils and committees. This participation ensures that member constituencies are well represented in top-level discussions on issues facing the health care industry in Wisconsin. Every action taken by the Association is a result of member involvement and input.

There are many opportunities to be involved in the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Member participation in the Association will reach an all-time high in 2008, with nearly 200 individuals serving on one or more of WHA’s seven councils or committees. In addition, members also participate on state and local health-related boards, councils and commissions, providing valuable leadership on key health care issues.

Volunteer leaders are the backbone of a strong Association, according to WHA President Steve Brenton. "The Association provides a forum for discussing and developing responses and solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing Wisconsin hospitals and physicians," Brenton said. "This year Medicaid reimbursement will be a top priority, along with consideration of proposals for health care reform," he added.

"We appreciate and place a high value on input and direction provided by our volunteer leaders," said Brenton.

For a list of council/committee members, visit www.wha.org and click on the "About" tab.

The WHA councils and committees are:

Council on Finance & Payment
Chair: Tom Bayer, COO, St. Vincent Hospital, Green Bay
Primary WHA Staff: George Quinn
The Council on Finance & Payment will identify and examine financial problems and issues affecting the health care delivery system in Wisconsin.

Council on Public Policy
Chair: Diane Postler-Slattery, President/COO, Aspirus Wausau Hospital
Primary WHA Staff: Eric Borgerding
The Council on Public Policy will oversee and coordinate the development of public policy initiatives for review and final action by the WHA Board of Directors. The Council will be responsible for coordinating the Association’s overall advocacy efforts that affect WHA members and staff, the media, government officials and other advocacy groups.

Council on Medical & Professional Affairs
Chair: Brad Manning, MD, Board Member, Wisconsin Medical Society
Primary WHA Staff: Dana Richardson
The Council on Medical & Professional Affairs will promote efficient hospital functioning and quality care through its efforts to monitor and influence professional practice. This is to be accomplished by assuring the quality and appropriate utilization of health care providers, promoting positive patient outcomes and efforts to continuously improve the value of care provided. This includes improvement in clinical and administrative practices affecting patient care, promotion of a working environment conducive to attracting and retaining qualified health professionals, improvement in patient outcomes, reduction in health care costs and medication errors, and the potential for individual and corporate health care consumers to understand information needed to assess health care quality.

Council on Rural Health
Chair: Bill Bruce, CEO, St. Joseph’s Community Health Services, Hillsboro
Primary WHA Staff: George Quinn
The Council on Rural Health will address the problems of hospitals located in Wisconsin’s rural communities and formulate the development of Association positions for solutions to these problems. It will also coordinate educational programming relating to the needs of these hospitals.

Council on Workforce Development
Chair: Phil Stuart, CEO, Tomah Memorial Hospital, Tomah
Primary WHA Staff: Judy Warmuth
The Council on Workforce Development will monitor the supply and distribution of the current health care workforce. It will work to ensure that an adequate supply of workers is available to staff Wisconsin hospitals. The Council will provide input into WHA’s advocacy program related to workforce issues and will also initiate and support projects related to the workforce.

Advocacy Committee
Chair: Ken Buser, President/CEO, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – All Saints
Primary WHA Staff: Jodi Bloch
The Advocacy Committee will provide oversight to the fundraising activities of the Wisconsin Hospitals PAC and Conduit.

Audit Committee
Chair: Greg Britton, President/CEO, Beloit Memorial Hospital
Primary WHA Staff: George Quinn
The Audit and Investment Committee will oversee the annual audit, review Association investment policies and performance annually, and present results to the Board of Directors.

2009 promises to be a huge year for health care. The nation’s capital is pregnant with expectations about major reform legislation and at the state level, access and coverage initiatives will be front and center for the new Legislature which for the first time in well over a decade is controlled by Democrats.

There are a couple of "flies in the ointment." Nationally, translating high expectations into rational and "passable" legislation will again be difficult. That’s the formula that derailed past health reform initiatives. Details do matter as we’ll soon find out. In Madison, the fiscal reality of the worst state budget deficit—ever—will be a major speed bump to be navigated. And that also won’t be easy.

Three early health care issues will be before Madison lawmakers in January and February. 1) The hospital assessment; 2) Implementation of the Medicaid Childless Adults program; and 3) Debate over Governor Doyle’s small group health insurance reform plan—BadgerCare Choices. Debate, discussion and angst will also focus on specific health-related budget decisions that will be part of the Administration’s difficult biennial budget proposal. Look for a lot of unhappy faces when the bad news hits the state house.

WHA and our members are "ready" for the coming debate. A lot of hard work on the assessment initiative, for example, has positioned us well to help advance a carefully crafted package that’s a rare win-win in a difficult political environment. And our Board-approved reform principles are a clear road map to use as we work to shape effective and necessary legislative solutions to improve access and coverage. Yes…we’re ready for 2009.

Steve Brenton
President

No matter where they are located, no matter the size of the community, Wisconsin hospitals share a mission devoted to community service. A major portion of the resources they commit to their communities is spent in areas that help improve the health of the communities. Health screenings, education classes, support groups, and charity care are all provided with a goal of making health care as accessible in their communities as possible. Others are community-building activities that include providing opportunities for learning that help employees advance their careers, or disaster preparedness drills that involve the entire community. There is seemingly no end to the great work that hospitals do in their communities.

Since WHA started collecting and reporting hospital community benefits in 2006, hundreds of stories have been featured in "Valued Voice." In 2008, WHA received more than 300 stories that illustrate how hospitals touch, change, and save lives every day in every corner of Wisconsin. Only by sharing these stories can one understand the true meaning of a simple, but powerful word that describes what drives hospitals to do what they do every hour of the day and night: MISSION.

In June, the Wisconsin Hospital Association Board of Directors recommended that Wisconsin hospitals standardize wristband and other color alerts used in their facilities. The goal is to achieve 100 percent voluntary use of the standard colors by March 1, 2009. With two months to go, the following hospitals have implemented the color-coded patient alert standard:

Agnesian HealthCare/St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac
Baldwin Area Medical Center, Baldwin
Bellin Hospital, Green Bay
Bellin Psychiatric Center, Green Bay
Beloit Memorial Hospital, Beloit
Berlin Memorial Hospital, Berlin
Black River Memorial Hospital, Black River Falls
Burnett Medical Center, Grantsburg
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, Neenah
Chippewa Valley Hospital, Durand
Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee
Cumberland Memorial Hospital, Cumberland
Curative Care Network, Milwaukee
Fort HealthCare, Fort Atkinson
Franciscan Skemp Healthcare-Mayo Health System, Arcadia
Franciscan Skemp Healthcare-Mayo Health System, La Crosse
Franciscan Skemp Healthcare-Mayo Health System, Sparta
Grant Regional Health Center, Lancaster
Hayward Area Memorial Hospital, Hayward
Holy Family Memorial, Inc., Manitowoc
Hudson Hospital, Hudson
Lakeview Medical Center, Rice Lake
Langlade Hospital-An Aspirus Partner, Antigo
Luther Midelfort Chippewa Valley, Bloomer
Luther Midelfort Northland, Barron
Luther Midelfort Oakridge, Osseo
Memorial Hospital of Lafayette Co., Darlington
Memorial Medical Center, Ashland
Mercy Health System Corporation, Janesville
Moundview Memorial Hospital & Clinics, Friendship
Osceola Medical Center, Osceola
Riverview Hospital Association, Wisconsin Rapids
Rusk County Memorial Hospital and Nursing Home, Ladysmith
Spooner Health System, Spooner
St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, Baraboo
St. Croix Regional Medical Center, St. Croix Falls
St. Elizabeth Hospital, Appleton
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Chippewa Falls
St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center, Green Bay
St. Nicholas Hospital, Sheboygan
Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha
Westfields Hospital, New Richmond
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-St. Francis Hospital, Milwaukee
Wild Rose Community Memorial Hospital, Wild Rose

The WHA color coded alert guidelines specify that hospitals should use red to signify allergies, yellow for fall risk and purple for do-not-resuscitate preferences. The standard colors apply to wristbands, as well as other visual communication tools that hospitals use to alert physicians and staff to patients unique needs and wishes.

According to Dana Richardson, WHA vice president of quality initiatives, "Safety is a top priority in Wisconsin hospitals. Color standardization of the most common types of patient safety alerts will simplify communication within and between hospitals, reducing the risk that an error will occur."

In September, the American Hospital Association issued a recommendation that advised hospitals nationwide to standardize their color-coded patient alert systems to three colors, the same three colors that the WHA recommended.

For more information about the Color Coded Alert Standardization project, contact Dana Richardson at drichardson@wha.org or 608-274-1820.

More than 50 lives have been saved in the seven years since the passage of Wisconsin’s "Safe Haven" law in 2001. This law allows a mother in crisis to relinquish an infant that is fewer than three days old. According to Safe Place for Newborns Executive Director Terry Walsh, this year one Milwaukee hospital had six babies relinquished. She credits much of the success of the law to the support of Wisconsin hospitals.

"The babies now not only have a future, but the mothers do too. They found a safety net… your support gave her this last option," according to Walsh.

WHA President Steve Brenton applauded Wisconsin Safe Place for Newborns, and commended Walsh for her tireless efforts to ensure that mothers in crisis are aware of their options.

"Terry’s commitment to building public awareness helps ensure that the message is out there that mothers have option and our hospitals, fire and police departments can accept these vulnerable infants," Brenton said. "We appreciate Terry and Safe Place for Newborn’s efforts to mobilize support and build awareness."

Hospitals are reminded to continue their public awareness efforts and to review their policies related to the Safe Haven Law.

Ministry Health Care’s Saint Clare’s Hospital in Weston has been identified by The Leapfrog Group as one of only 13 hospitals in the nation to earn the designation "Highest Value Hospital," based on a review of over 1,220 hospitals participating in the annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey. The Leapfrog Group is the first national quality organization to evaluate and identify hospitals providing excellent quality and at the same time demonstrating an appropriate use of resources for specific procedures.

The hospitals were deemed "highest value" based on their efficiency scores – a combination of their quality and resource utilization scores - for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and pneumonia care. To make Leapfrog’s Highest Value list, a hospital had to have a top efficiency of care score for at least three of these four procedures and conditions. Resource use was measured by the hospital’s severity-adjusted average length of stay for that procedure, inflated by the readmission rate. Quality scores are based on meeting appropriate processes of care measures, and (for CABG and PCI) hospital volume and risk-adjusted mortality.

Aurora Psychiatric Hospital provides workforce development for nursing students from Marquette University, Bryant and Stratton, and UW-Milwaukee, including both graduate students in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing and those pursuing Associate or Bachelors Degree programs. This year, the program includes 72 students from Marquette, 16 from Bryant and Stratton and one graduate student from UWM, involving over 971 hours of precepting by APH RNs.

Each student’s experience at APH familiarizes them with nursing in a Behavioral Health setting and exposes them to evidence-based treatment of mental illnesses. They develop their patient interviewing and care-planning skills and enhance their ability to see patients as whole persons with a multitude of problems, but also strengths. The students are educated on treatment philosophies that enable them to see the benefit of using structured, proven approaches to care. They are oriented to the unique facilities on the APH campus, learn charting and the most common mental health diagnoses, along with what to expect to see clinically. They are precepted through intake and assessment, inpatient adult, substance abuse, and child/adolescent programs, as well as APH’s Partial-Hospital and Day-Treatment programs. Alongside the RN, they must complete assessments, perform one-to-one interviews and education sessions with assigned patients, attend and participate in group therapy sessions, and prepare patients for discharge. Each student group also does an education project with the staff or patients each semester.

In the fall of 2003, the Cumberland Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Department noticed the number of athletes that were coming in with injuries and wanted to address how some of those injuries may be prevented. From that, the Back in Action Sports Clinic was born. The Department of Rehabilitation Services offers FREE sports injury evaluations to athletes of all types. From the "Weekend Warrior" to the competitive collegiate athlete, to the high school novice, our physical and occupational therapists will schedule a 30-minute consultation with anyone to get them back in the game quicker. Typically, the athletes will notice a tight muscle or pain and when they come in. Our therapists will talk about different techniques, stretching, and safety to make sure injuries do not occur. If need be, they will refer the athlete to their doctor if the injury seems to be more than what the athlete originally thought. Typically, our therapists see about 20 athletes per year in the Back in Action Sports Clinic. It’s a huge success amongst our community athletes!

Medication errors account for an estimated 7,000 deaths annually in the United States. Over 90 percent of Americans aged 65 or over take prescription medications and half of them are taking five or more different medicines.

The Walworth County Patient Safety Council was formed in July 2005 to study ways of improving medication safety for patients in clinic settings. The team developed and implemented tools to improve communication between patients and health care providers about medications. Because older persons are particularly susceptible to medication-related events due to their high rate of chronic disease and medication use, the efforts were targeted to those 55 years and older. Aurora Medical Group clinics involved in the study were located in the Walworth County communities of Delavan, East Troy, Elkhorn, Lake Geneva, and Walworth.

The Walworth County Patient Safety Council, consisting of 11 patients and 12 health care professionals (including representatives of the local Department on Aging and other health care agencies), worked together with the community and two partners – Consumers Advancing Patient Safety and Midwest Airlines - to develop a medication bag and a personal medication list.

In addition to these tools, educational programs were geared for a wide audience of health care professionals and included information on patient-centered care, tools for effective communication, promoting self-management among their patients, and changes to clinic processes to allow more time for medication review by the staff.

Over 16,000 medication lists and 7,500 medication bags were distributed by health care providers at Aurora Medical Group clinics in Walworth County and through community education programs.

The result: The key measurement for project success was the accuracy of the clinic medication list. In 2005, prior to the project, only 69 percent of the clinic medications lists were accurate and complete. After implementation of patient and health care provider tools, the accuracy of the clinic medication list improved to 81 percent—a 17 percent improvement.

Establishing medication safety practices will become even more important as Baby Boomers age. They or their caregivers will need clear guidelines about prescription safety. Estimates show that 50 percent of the population 85 or better already has some form of dementia and that figure will likely increase. The safety council’s research concluded that clear and consistent communication between the patient and the provider is a key element of ensuring medication safety.

Mental illness is the second leading cause of disability (next to arthritis) in America, resulting in a $100 billion cost to the economy based on lost productivity, according to national statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Stereotypes persists about mental health issues. Due to stigma, the lives of many are diminished and options often limited for people with disabilities, which can prevent them from becoming productive citizens.

For the last 17 years, Froedtert Hospital has contracted with the local Goodwill commercial laundry services facility to provide opportunity and meaningful jobs, with a current volume of business that contributes to 40 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. is well-known for its retail store and donation centers and human service programs to benefit people with physical, mental and developmental disabilities.

In 2006, Goodwill client-employees sorted, cleaned and processed 4 million pounds of laundry for Froedtert, which would have taken a person 18 years of non-stop washing with their home machine to accomplish, said Gary Goll, director of Linen Services at the Goodwill corporate office, 6055 N. 91st in Milwaukee.

Both Scottie Thigpen, 42, and Wendy Mollenhauer, 61, have worked with Goodwill laundry services more than a year, resulting in a sense of stability and renewal through life-affirming support and the privilege of work.

Thigpen was addicted to alcohol and drugs, but now has more than 18 months of sobriety, his own apartment, a vehicle and a checking and savings account for the first time in his life. "Goodwill was willing to give me the opportunity to work and get ongoing support for my recovery," Thigpen said.

Mollenhauer, a long-time homemaker who was divorced in 1996 after a 30-year marriage, experienced major depression and felt helpless due to limited external work experience. She has been able to manage stress better due to the extra employee assistance offered to Goodwill clients. "I continue to work on managing my depression, and the supervisors help us in many ways," Mollenhauer said.

In 2006, Froedert Hospital received a Goodwill Power Partner Award, which is given to companies that advance the mission of Goodwill by providing substantial opportunities for individuals with disabilities or other major barriers to employment. "We’ve had the opportunity to consider other vendors, but felt it was important to support employment in our local community," said Johnny Guyton, director of Environmental Services at Froedtert. "Our partnership with Goodwill is a win-win situation." The Froedtert and Goodwill collaboration is also helping to change perceptions. "We’re promoting health and quality of life through real work and jobs for those with disabilities and barriers, with positive outcomes," Goll said.

Doris* has lived independently for many years, and she wasn’t about to let anyone take that independence away, even at the age of 83.

A widow, she has no family in the area except for an ailing sister. A year and a half ago, she fell and fractured her hip. Then, in January, a ProHealth Care Parish nurse called her ailing sister before a visit to Doris’s home and discovered that Doris had fallen in the kitchen and had refused to go to the hospital.

The Parish nurse visited Doris and found she was suffering from dehydration and hypotension in addition to bruising herself in during the fall. The nurse explained how important it is for Doris to drink more fluids and take her medicine so that she can continue to live in her small ranch home.

With the help of Parish Nursing, Doris is able to maintain her independence.

Elizabeth* could barely see the blackboard in her sixth grade class at school. Elizabeth’s family had recently moved from Milwaukee County to Waukesha County. Her mother was having trouble connecting to local service providers and her BadgerCare status was unclear. As a result, Elizabeth’s vision issue went unaddressed.

Elizabeth’s principal noticed the vision problem and called ProHealth Care Community Outreach nurse Hanneke Deeken, M.S.N., R.N.

Deeken reviewed the case and helped link her to services in the community. Elizabeth saw an optometrist and received new glasses. Her 20/300 vision has been corrected to 20/30, and she’s amazed at what she’s been missing. "I can finally see," Elizabeth said. " I can even read that sign right over there!"

For many Wisconsin children, limited transportation and lack of access make it difficult to get to the dentist. UW Hospitals and Clinics’ solution? Bring the dentists to the kids! To reach youngsters in 12 counties in southern and southwestern Wisconsin, UW Children’s Hospital dentists and hygienists staff the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile for eight months during the year. The 40-foot, 26,000-pound traveling dental office holds a laboratory, reception area, medical records and two patient exam rooms. Inside the enormous vehicle, staff provides x-rays, dental cleanings and fluoride applications. Through the combined sponsorship of UW Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald Charities, the Care Mobile has treated more than 25 hundred children since 2003 without insurance to receive treatment at no cost.

In another move to expand access to dental care, UW Hospitals and Clinics played an instrumental role in enabling dental hygienists to bill Medicaid for preventive services. According to a recent survey, almost half of Wisconsin children attending schools with a higher percentage of low-income students have untreated decay, which leads to difficulty in eating, sleeping, learning and proper nutrition. Recognizing the serious implications of the problem, UW Hospital and Clinics leaders strongly supported a Medicaid rule change, which has allowed dental professionals to provide more preventive care to these children.

Hours after arriving from South Korea to study English at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Haesung Won fell into a coma, unaware that around her bed at Sacred Heart Hospital, a surrogate family was forming. UWEC students and staff, clergy, and hospital employees had gathered together in support and compassion for the young girl on her own in a strange country. Dr. Kamal Thapar, who performed the life-saving surgery to remove the blood clot pressing on the left side of her brain, explained to the St. Paul Pioneer Press (in a story on September 19, 2006), why they rallied around the young woman, "She could have belonged to any of us, but she belonged to none of us."

The then 22-year old student suffered from an arteriovenous malformation, an abnormal collection of blood vessels in the brain that can cause a fatal hemorrhage at any time without warning. When Haesung’s parents arrived, after a 17-hour trip from South Korea, they found her unconscious, a still form surrounded by machines and wires. "The whole world tumbled," said her mother, Young Sook Lee.

As her classmates began the final week of the UWEC language program, Haesung opened her eyes. Pressure on the brain had caused her to lose some speech and physical skills, but with the help of Sacred Heart’s therapy team and the consistent faith of her mother in her abilities, Haesung thrived. The hospital’s computer staff installed a laptop in her room to translate English into Korean. Among a group of volunteers who rallied around Haesung was Chang N. Ju, a fellow South Korean whose own son had been in a coma for 33 days before moving on to physical therapy. "Everybody loves their children," said Ju. "I wanted to help as much as I could." The growing expenses of Haesung’s hospital stay were covered in part by a UWEC insurance policy that all foreign students carry and by Sacred Heart’s Charity Care program where the hospital provides close to $6 million dollars annually to those in need. "It was a very unfortunate setting under the worst of circumstances," said the Rev. Lawrence Dunklee, a Catholic priest and hospital chaplain. But Sacred Heart’s mission every day is to recognize, understand and respond to concerns, fears and barriers with care and compassion.

Haesung Won returned in November to South Korea, a country familiar to the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis. The Japanese Sisters work, with the Franciscan Fathers, in a nursing home for the poor and elderly in the Diocese of Kwangju, located 125 miles north and east of Haesung’s hometown of Daegu.

Haesung’s doctors are confident she will recover fully and pursue her goal of becoming a third-grade teacher. "This girl’s going to recover and she’s going to do everything that’s in her destiny," said Dr. Thapar. "People can make a difference . . . In this hospital, in this small town, we worked as ambassadors of good will," Thapar said (St. Paul Pioneer Press, 10/19/06) "You can change the world in a profound way. And it doesn’t take tools or special skills, just a will and goodness.

Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. It is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.

Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. Autism affects each individual differently and at varying degrees.

It is estimated that nearly one in 150 children in America today have an autism spectrum disorder, and that about 1.5 million Americans and their families are affected. Our small communities are not immune to this. Autism knows no racial, ethnic, social boundaries, family income, lifestyle, or educational levels and can affect any family, and any child. Although the overall incidence of autism is consistent around the globe, it is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls.

The benefit of having local resources and others to share with has proved to be very beneficial in helping Mauston area families cope with the daily stresses of autism.

St. Joseph’s Hospital offers a free event to women as an evening to connect with their friends, laugh about life and at the same time learn about the health care services available to them. The format isn’t unique—hotel conference room, nationally known motivational speaker, cheesecake—however, the event continues to supersede capacity even in its seventh year, held during the dog days of summer.

"We are all aware that for the majority of women, the responsibilities of family, work and personal time can be overwhelming and stressful," says Michele Paquette, marketing specialist and coordinator of the annual event. "We also know that women are always looking for a way to escape and have fun with their friends—if only for a few hours—but at the same time learn some valuable information about how to manage their stress and be aware of local resources." The speaker is cued to ensure there is humor, but also specific take-away techniques to help with stress management and self motivation. A hallway of booths showcase hospital services staffed by specialists to answer questions if needed.

As in past years, over 400 attended the event, with another 100 being turned away. "I’m still amazed that the interest is still as huge as it was the first year we kicked it off, even after we moved the event to summer, which is typically a slower time of year for events." There are several stories of how sisters, mothers /daughters and good friends strategize to better their chances for the random-drawing reservations.

The event is free of charge; however, for the past few years a free-will donation to the area food pantry was collected. "The pantry is so appreciative of this collection at this time of year, when there isn’t any other food drive planned," adds Paquette. "Our participants are very generous to the cause, and our hospital has so much pride in being able to serve our community in this way."

Submit hospital community benefit stories to Mary Kay Grasmick, editor, at mgrasmick@wha.org.

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