Testifying on behalf of the Wisconsin Hospital Association on Wednesday February 27, Judy Warmuth, vice president, workforce, told members of the Senate Committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs that a bill banning mandatory overtime in health care facilities does not address the problem that is at the core of the issue: nurse fatigue.

"WHA believes the discussion on fatigue should focus not on mandated hours, which research shows are a very small part of total overtime hours, but on total hours worked, recovery time, and the effects of fatigue on patient safety," according to Warmuth. "Unfortunately, SB 512 focuses only on one small part of the broader issue. Appropriate solutions will only be developed when all factors that contribute to fatigue are taken into account," she said.

During the hearing, Warmuth pointed out to the standing-room-only audience that the nurse shortages experienced earlier this decade triggered research that now facilitates an evidence-based discussion of fatigue, overtime and patient safety. Warmuth shared several national research findings at the hearing:

• Studies of health effects of extended hours in other industries have found no correlation between those effects and whether extended hours are required or voluntary, suggesting that the health impact is comparable, regardless of this distinction.
• While nurses work longer than their shift length 81 percent of the time, only 6 percent of that time is a mandate.
• When nurses do work overtime, the average amount of time worked over scheduled hours is 49 minutes.
• Nineteen percent of nurses work two or more jobs. Errors and near errors are more likely to occur when nurses work 12 or more hours.
• The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has reviewed 52 published studies across all industries relating to long work hours and found that deteriorating performance for 12-hour shifts was found only with work weeks longer than 40 hours.
• Work hours for medical residents have been restricted to 80 hours per week. Evidence after several years is mixed with no clear patient advantage.

"A mandate on employers, such as contained in SB 512, ignores the independence of employees to hold multiple jobs, does not address work schedules that fit into lifestyle choices, and fails to address the responsibility of workers to arrive at work rested," Warmuth said. "A simple mandate addressing only one piece of this complex equation is not a solution and does not provide the assurances needed," Warmuth concluded in her testimony.

Also testifying in opposition to the bill were nurse executives from Aurora Sinai and Meriter Hospital. These nurse leaders offered examples of why this option is rarely used but a needed safety net for patient care. The Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Executives and the Wisconsin Society of Healthcare Human Resources Administration submitted written testimony opposing the bill. Dian Palmer, SEIU District 1199W president, and Candace Owley, president of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals, AFT, AFL-CIO, testified in favor of the bill, as did staff nurses from both government and private health facilities.

Many of those who testified in support of the bill were asked by Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) if they would support limiting the amount of voluntary overtime that nurses can work if indeed patient safety is the issue. The general reply was that they preferred to address the "burning" issue of mandatory overtime.

One of those testifying even attributed a July 2006 patient death in Madison to mandatory overtime. She was later corrected; the nurse involved in the incident was working voluntary overtime.

"This is about unions pursuing their political agenda and not addressing the far more pressing problem of fatigue and patient safety," said WHA's Executive Vice President Eric Borgerding. "It’s really unfortunate, but telling, that the issues and solutions surrounding hours worked and fatigue can't be constructively and cooperatively addressed, and instead we continue to waste time on legislative 'solutions' that are looking for a problem. Six percent of all overtime worked is mandated; the rest is voluntary. Patients deserve better, and we are ready to discuss a comprehensive solution to this issue any time and with anyone."

The Committee will vote on the bill March 5, and it is highly unlikely this legislation will be taken up by the Assembly prior to the session ending on March 13.

Hospital representatives traveled to Madison for 2008 Business Day, an event that brings hundreds of members from the business community to Madison. Many of the attendees, including hospital representatives, also took advantage of the opportunity to meet with their legislators.

During the afternoon’s panel discussion, legislators debated the subject of government-run health care reform. Panelists included Representatives Jim Kreuser (D-Kenosha) and Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) who both expressed reservations about the State Senate’s "Healthy Wisconsin" proposal from last year. Rep. Vukmir went on to highlight how transparency should be an important focus of health care reform. Questions and comments from the audience showed what many already knew—addressing the cost of health care is a priority issue to the business community.

During the afternoon keynote, Governor Doyle spent several minutes discussing the hospital assessment. Speaking to a varied group of business leaders (including representatives of manufacturing, health care, insurance and technology), the Governor reiterated his support for a hospital assessment. He indicated an assessment would be part of his budget adjustment legislation, which he expects to unveil in the near future. Doyle honed in on the fact that a hospital assessment will help the state draw down additional federal dollars that are otherwise left on the table. He specifically mentioned the proposal has the support of the Wisconsin Hospital Association and that these additional dollars will also assist the state’s taxpayers.

WHA continues to advocate in favor of a hospital assessment as long as it secures and then protects needed Medicaid dollars for Wisconsin hospitals.

The Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund will not appeal Judge David Hansher’s decision in the Schultz case. On January 11, 2008, Judge Hansher dismissed in full the IPFCF’s third-party complaint and cross-claim in Schultz v. IPFCF. The Fund had been arguing that Schultz’s injuries were caused, at least in part, by negligent training and supervision by the provider and that negligent training and supervision are claims separate from claims of medical malpractice. The Fund had been seeking money from the provider’s corporate general liability policy.

Based on the parties’ briefs, the judge made the factual finding that, contrary to the Fund’s arguments, the Fund’s claims were claims for medical malpractice and, thus, should be covered by the provider’s professional liability policy and the Fund. The Fund’s claim for "subrogated contribution" failed.

WHA filed an amicus brief in this case due to the significant impact the case could have had on Wisconsin’s liability environment and on the ability of hospitals, clinics, and physicians to obtain general liability coverage. WHA President Steve Brenton noted, "WHA is pleased with this important decision. A different action on the part of the IPFCF could have had a dramatic impact on the general liability insurance environment in Wisconsin. We also share the Medical Society’s concern that the arguments proffered by the IPFCF, if successful, could jeopardize physicians’ willingness to mentor and train the next generation of Wisconsin physicians."

After hearing a convincing presentation by Milwaukee hospital leaders, this week the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) formally backed the hospital assessment as a means to improve Medicaid rates for hospitals and ultimately, bring down the costs of providing health care for their employees.

The MMAC Board was urged to take an active role in helping to get the hospital assessment passed during the upcoming budget adjustment negotiations. The reception was positive, with many Board members signing a petition to "stop the shift" of health care costs to make up for the government under-funding of Medicaid.

MMC President Tim Sheehy summed up the discussion, "Our members feel the impact of the ‘hidden health care tax’ first hand on their balance sheets. The hospital assessment is currently the most viable way to leverage additional federal dollars for Wisconsin, stop this cost shifting to business, and bring meaningful health care cost reform to the Milwaukee area."

Steve Brenton, WHA president, praised the MMAC Board action. "The support of MMAC means a lot to us as we move this debate forward. This really is about the "hidden tax" and what that means to our business economy in this state. We look forward to garnering the support of many more business partners in the coming weeks," Brenton said.

Registration information for this free event will be available in mid March at www.wha.org.

Over the past several years we have seen many news stories—largely negative—about Wisconsin health care costs. Conventional wisdom, at least among some, is that Wisconsin hospitals and physicians are "more expensive" than the national average and that high health care costs are a competitive disadvantage for Wisconsin.

Some of the health care cost "studies" that contributed to this attention were based on less than credible assumptions and lacked "evidence-based" fact. The most over-hyped and misunderstood analysis was the Government Accounting Office (GAO Report) two years ago that seemed to suggest physician prices in Wisconsin communities (for the Federal Employee Health Plan) are among the "highest in the nation." A closer examination of the report (undertaken by almost no one other than WHA) actually found that on an episode of care basis (price x units of service), Wisconsin is a bargain for the FEHP.

What’s new on the cost front in the context of 2008? Several recent developments confirm that cost-controlling efforts by Wisconsin hospitals are paying off. Consider this:

• A study by Milliman, Inc. for the Greater Milwaukee Business Foundation on Health found that operating costs at Milwaukee area hospitals increased about 10 percent between 2003 and 2006; that’s five percentage points below the national average.

• Data extracted from the Ingenix Almanac of Hospital and Financial Operating Indicators confirms that statewide hospital operating costs are growing at a pace significantly below the national average, reversing previous trends.

• Medicare data that tracks state specific spending per beneficiary places Wisconsin among the lowest cost states in the nation. In fact, the nation would have no looming Medicare spending crisis if other states replicated Wisconsin experience.

The obvious conclusion is that, in aggregate, Wisconsin hospitals are providing value to payers at a cost at or below national benchmarks.

Steve Brenton,
President

This week WHA hosted two community benefit seminars aimed at training member hospitals on the use of WHA’s new community benefit collection and survey software. WHA switched its community benefit vendor in response to a number of requests from members who were currently using Lyons CBISA software. After reviewing the survey and collection software that would be provided free of charge to member hospitals not currently using CBISA, staff determined there were a number of benefits to switching to Lyons.

"The new CBISA state reporting software is free to member hospitals. A nice feature is that it is available online and hospitals can input community benefit data in real time, store it, and then report it to WHA upon our request," according to Brian Potter, WHA’s vice president, finance. "Hospitals can use this software to replace spreadsheets and other tools they used in the past to record their community benefit activities," he added.

Patsy Matheny and Trina Hackensmith facilitated the daylong training sessions held in Wisconsin Dells and Wausau. More than 120 hospital community benefit managers and finance department personnel participated at both locations.

Mandy Ayers, WHA’s community benefit resource person, said she will send hospitals usernames and passwords next week. WHA will also enter survey data collected the previous two years into the survey for members using the free version. Ayers said another unique feature the collection tool offers is the ability to assist hospitals with completing the new IRS Schedule H that has been added to Form 990.

WHA’s Mary Kay Grasmick reminded the audience that stories help describe the importance these activities have on Wisconsin communities. Last year, WHA received more than 160 stories from member hospitals that illustrated the depth, breadth and commitment that hospitals have to serve those in need of assistance and with that, improving the overall health status of the community.

Grasmick encouraged hospitals to send stories continuously because they are posted to www.wiservepoint.org as they are received.

"While many businesses and industries devote employee time and financial resources to improving the communities where they live and work, only hospitals have a mission to serve and the ability to mobilize a workforce that can roll up their sleeves and make an almost immediate difference in the lives of the people they serve," Grasmick said. "Only by telling these stories can people really understand what drives hospitals to do what they do, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," she added.

At several venues in Madison February 26-27, Elliott Fisher, MD, MPH, professor of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School, presented his findings on the variations in medical spending in the United States and the relationship medical spending has with quality and outcome. Fisher’s presentations were made at the State Capitol and the UW campus, and were sponsored by the UW Department of Population Health’s Evidence-based Health Policy Project.

Fisher described the interaction between what he identified as the two key reasons for higher health care costs--supply and physician decision-making. Wisconsin, he pointed out, produces high quality, low cost health care because Wisconsin has a high degree of integration in its health care delivery system. In these systems, costs for an episode of care are reduced and quality is higher because of care coordination through the entire episode of care. He suggested that if reimbursement was linked to episodes of care, from diagnosis through rehabilitation, incentives could be built into the system that reward providers based on outcome. He believes that type of payment methodology fosters accountability and begins to address issues associated with capacity as well.

"Most communities in Wisconsin, unlike other areas of the country, have well-established networks where physicians regularly refer to a single community hospital. That provides incentives to create a medical home for a patient and coordinate care through the transitions, for instance, from home to hospital to nursing home," Fisher said. "The focus on coordinating care from admission through discharge ensures continuity during the hand offs," he added.

"Whether you exist as an integrated network, either formal or virtual, it is easier to put shared savings program in place because you can develop the legal structure to share medical records, reduce costs, and coordinate care," according to Fisher.

He said transparency efforts are good, and Fisher acknowledged that Wisconsin hospitals are leading the country in the amount of information they are sharing with consumers. He advises, however, that much education is still needed to help patients make health care decisions not only on cost and quality, but also on the risks and benefits of the surgery or procedure they select.

Fisher said a federal project is in the early stages to fund the development of a model for sharing savings using what Fisher terms "accountable community organizations (ACO)." The essential attributes of an accountable care organization are that it is of sufficient size to support comprehensive performance measurement; provides or can manage continuum of care as a real or virtually-integrated local delivery system, and is capable of prospectively planning budgets, capacity and resource needs. He identified potential ACOs as large multi-specialty group practices that own their own hospitals, physician-hospital organizations, and hospitals that own physician groups.

WHA Executive Vice President George Quinn said Wisconsin is uniquely situated, because of the high degree of integration, to participate in ACO pilots.

State Senator Dale Schultz recently met with Upland Hills Health Administrator Phyllis Fritsch to discuss issues relevant to health care in Iowa County and to see the facility.

Schultz spent time touring the recently completed medical office building and imaging services center.

A believer in fitness and need for a healthy lifestyle, Schultz was impressed with the Upland Hills Health Therapy and Wellness Center, even giving some of the new, state-of- the-art circuit training equipment a test drive.

Schultz noted that the benefit to the community goes beyond therapy patients and members to the entire community with the many wellness classes that are now available to the public.

In addition, Schultz was able to witness how the advanced technology has been incorporated into the new imaging services center. Administrator Phyllis Fritsch explained, "Technology has impacted not just diagnosis but the actual work process itself. The center provides efficiency, customer privacy and comfort like never before."

A project aimed at providing cost-effective, evidence-based screening services for alcohol and drug abuse at 20 clinics around the state has invited the Wisconsin Hospital Association to participate as a collaborating partner.

The Wisconsin Initiative to Promote Healthy Lifestyles is a Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral, and Treatment (SBIRT) project funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This project is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services and coordinated by the Department of Family Medicine of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.

"We at the Wisconsin Initiative to Promote Healthy Lifestyles are pleased to have the Wisconsin Hospital Association as a partner in the development and implementation of the SBIRT project" said Joan Fischer, executive director of the initiative. "A major goal of the initiative is to inform and support health care professionals, employers, insurance organizations and policymakers in their efforts to make alcohol and drug screening routine parts of a medical visit," she said.

The Wisconsin Hospital Association’s most recent workforce report released earlier this month identified pharmacists as being the most difficult professional for Wisconsin hospitals to recruit. Wisconsin hospitals recruit only a small number of the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy graduates, and rural hospitals recruit even fewer. If hospitals are to fill vacant pharmacy positions, they will need to be more successful in competing for these graduates, most of whom are Wisconsin natives.

To address this issue, WHA, the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW), the Dean and staff from the School of Pharmacy, the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, and interested pharmacists from around the state formed a workgroup. The workgroup is reviewing a number of options, such as recruitment fairs, video outreach, and personal contact strategies that will help hospitals recruit the pharmacists they need to meet the growing demand for their services. UW Pharmacy School Dean Jeanette Roberts encourages hospitals to work immediately on recruitment strategies for existing students. To improve their chances of recruiting a pharmacist from UW, Roberts suggested:

• Offer pharmacy practice experiences (PPEs). Accrediting agency requirements have increased the number of clinical experiences required for pharmacists. This new requirement has created a need in the school for more experiences and an expanded opportunity for hospitals to be visible to students. Short PPE’s occur early in the curriculum and longer experiences are required of students in their final year. Pharmacists who act as preceptors must work with the School of Pharmacy to meet their academic requirements. The PPEs create an opportunity for hospitals that are not currently involved in pharmacy education to meet pharmacy students early in their program, educate them about the pharmacist role in hospitals, and perhaps, recruit an interested future pharmacist. Hospitals interested in becoming involved in pharmacy practice experiences can learn more by contacting Mara Kieser at the UW Pharmacy School at 608-262-6168, makieser@pharmacy.wisc.edu.

• Make presentations to and facilitate discussions with the students. The School of Pharmacy invites potential employers into the school, an opportunity frequently utilized by retail pharmacies.

• Offer scholarships and make students aware of the hospital’s tuition reimbursement policy. It’s well known that the retail industry offers financial incentives for pharmacists to join their workforce. What is not as well known is hospitals also offer attractive compensation and benefit packages.

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Making the transition from being a staff person one day to a supervisor or manager the next is a significant step. Those who make the leap discover they not only carry responsibility for high productivity combined with financial and regulatory prudence, but also must balance human relations skills to work closely and collaboratively with others. Individuals who are new to hospital mid-level management, or those more experienced and need a refresher, will find the "Leaping from Staff to Management" series helpful in making the leap.

Part one of the series, "You’re a Manager… Now What?" will be offered March 12 at The Lodge at Cedar Creek in Rothschild, and will explore the basics of management and leadership in theory and applied practice, and will lay the groundwork for continued development of leadership and management skills. Part two of the series, "The Next Steps," is scheduled March 13 also at The Lodge at Cedar Creek in Rothschild, and will focus on learning and reviewing realistic and workable techniques for managing and leading people that will help ensure continued effectiveness and success.

Hospitals are also actively identifying children who could qualify for the program. Hospital financial counselors work with families in the emergency department to enroll children. Hospitals can also refer families to enrollment organizations in the community, such as churches and community groups that have received mini grants from the state to enroll kids and certain qualifying adults in the family. The number of online applications has risen significantly as a result of community groups promoting and enrolling participants.

Before the rollout of the program February 1, the state estimated 60 percent of uninsured children were eligible for Medicaid and BadgerCare, said Jason Helgerson, Wisconsin’s Medicaid program director in a February 24 Wausau Daily Herald article.

BadgerCare Plus allows every Wisconsin family, regardless of income, to have access to affordable, comprehensive health care coverage for their kids. In addition, BadgerCare Plus also offers coverage for more pregnant women, self-employed parents and farmers, and youth aging out of foster care.

Low-income families can enroll their children into BadgerCare Plus at no charge. Co-payments for health care services range from $.50 to $3 for families with lower incomes. Families with higher incomes will be required to pay reasonable monthly premiums and co-payments for certain services. Co-payments for health care services range from $5 for prescription drugs and $100 for a hospital stay. Under both plans, there are no co-payments for well child checkups and other preventive services. For more information go to: www.badgercareplus.org or call 1-800-362-3002.

On Monday, March 3, emails will be sent inviting WHA member CEOs and HR Directors to participate in the Association’s online compensation surveys. In addition to the annual Executive Compensation Survey, which collects salary data on over 25 positions, a new Physician Compensation Survey is now available, which collects salary data on over 70 positions.

The Physician Compensation Survey is just one of the enhancements to this year’s survey. The survey Web site has been redesigned to make navigation easier, and survey reports will now be available online. The new Web site allows data to be collected and reported in real-time. Data is updated nightly and old data is removed from the report, ensuring reports include the most current data.

As in previous years, access to the survey results will be provided only to those who participate. Participants will be provided with a PIN to access the online report functions. An email notification will be sent when the survey results are available.

The email invitations will include a link to the salary survey Web site, a username and password. The survey deadline is March 28, 2008. For more information, contact Jenny Boudreau at jboudreau@wha.org.

WHA’s compensation surveys are administered by enetrix, Madison, Wis., a recognized leader in the field of compensation analysis. enetrix uses the latest technology and security measures to ensure that compensation and organizational information is entered on a secure Web site. Data is transmitted over the Internet in an encrypted format that cannot be viewed during transmission—ensuring your data is always completely safe.

Beginning April 1, 2008, CMS’s rule concerning tamper-resistant prescription pads will go into effect. The new requirement applies to Medicaid, BadgerCare, and SeniorCare prescriptive orders. The Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin has provided the following guidance to its members:

1. Originally was to be effective October 1, 2007, but was delayed by Congress until April 1, 2008.

2. Applies to all Medicaid, SeniorCare and BadgerCare prescription orders.

3. Applies to all written and/or printed prescription orders– e-prescriptions, faxed prescriptions, or prescriptions communicated via telephone are allowed.

4. Is not limited to prescription orders for controlled substances. All prescription orders must comply, including orders for OTC products.

5. Does not apply to refills of prescription orders presented originally at a pharmacy before April 1, 2008.

6. To be considered "tamper-resistant," a prescription pad must contain one of the following characteristics:

a) An industry-recognized feature to prevent unauthorized copying.

b) An industry-recognized feature to prevent the erasure or modification of information on the prescription.

c) An industry-recognized feature to prevent the use of counterfeit prescription forms.

Note: On October 1, 2008, all three of the characteristics must be implemented.

7. To the extent permissible under federal and Wisconsin law, emergency prescriptions may be dispensed, and reimbursed, as long as the pharmacy receives a compliant prescription order within 72 hours. Compliant prescription orders include those on tamper-resistant paper, e-prescriptions, fax prescriptions and prescription orders communicated telephonically by the prescriber. If the pharmacy does not receive a compliant prescription within the allotted time, the payment made to the pharmacy for the claim corresponding to the non-compliant order may be recouped, in full, by the Medicaid program.

8. The Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) has been providing a limited number of prescription pads for all interested prescribing practitioners. These prescription pads will include all three of the tamper resistant characteristics as specified by the mandate. Practitioners should contact the Department to request a list of printing companies that have contracted with the state to provide the compliant forms. The DHFS contact for this is Pam Appleby at (608) 266-7685, or appleps@dhfs.state.wi.us.

9. Wisconsin pharmacy providers should not dispense medications pursuant to prescription orders that are non-compliant with the federal requirement. Pharmacists should either contact the prescriber to request a compliant prescription order or direct the Medicaid, SeniorCare or BadgerCare enrollee to request a compliant prescription order from the involved prescriber directly.

ABC for Health, Inc. and HealthWatch Wisconsin are hosting a 2008 Annual HealthWatch Wisconsin Conference on BadgerCare Plus. The conference will be held at the Best Western Inn on the Park in Madison on Tuesday, March 11 from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. with a reception the night before, March 10, from 6-8 p.m.

This statewide conference will focus on the newly introduced BadgerCare Plus program, including program specifics, observations after the first month of implementation, and things to watch for in 2008. For more information, go to: www.healthwatchwisconsin.org. The registration deadline is March 5.

Amery Regional Medical Center (ARMC), a not-for-profit organization located in Amery, Wisconsin, aims to provide accessible, comprehensive, quality health care and to promote the health and wellness of their communities. ARMC’s commitment to their patients goes beyond diagnosis and treatment; it continues into the hearts of their communities through service and dedication.

Working with local and county organizations to educate the community on important health issues like drug abuse remains a vital function of Amery Regional Medical Center. Methamphetamines have become a large-scale concern not only in Wisconsin, but also throughout the nation. Since ARMC collaborates with the local county sheriff’s department and is a member of the county’s methamphetamine coalition group, they continue to be well informed and proactive on health concerns that affect the community.

Through coordinated efforts with the school districts and county, ARMC was able to educate more than 800 people on the dangers of methamphetamines and other drug abuse during one presentation in year 2005. In 2006, ARMC assisted in coordinating another educational community presentation with local county officials that spanned three counties informing over 1,000 people on the effects of methamphetamines. Because of education initiatives like these, the state of Wisconsin realized a 31 percent reduction in methamphetamine activity as reported by the Department of Justice.

Each year, Divine Savior Healthcare offers a variety of programs, classes and health screenings to help educate Portage-area residents about health-related issues and encourage them to be proactive and involved in their well being.

In 2006, over 4,200 community members participated in programs such as babysitting classes, blood pressure measurements, breast-feeding education, cancer education programs and screenings, cholesterol screenings, community health fairs, CPR/first-aid classes, exercise classes, heart disease education, nutrition and weight management programs, and much more.

Health screening turned social scene

On Wednesday afternoons, it may appear that the social hot spot in Portage is in the Community Health & Education suite at Divine Savior Healthcare.

Laughter spills out into the hallway along with tales of grandchildren, gardening and weekend events. The scene reminds us of card parties and ice cream socials with smiles, bright eyes and an occasional photo making its way around the room.

But in place of a party, you’ll find folks waiting their turn for an important health screening – blood pressure measurements.

Community members gather here for the free screening every week, all year long, and over 1,900 people take advantage of the program annually. While the health benefits of blood pressure checks are widely known, the emotional and social benefits of this program are subtler, yet no less real.

The Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Executives (W-ONE) will host its annual convention for nurse leaders and managers April 16-18 in La Crosse. Connie Curran, BSN, MSN, EdD, FAAN will open the convention as the keynote speaker, discussing the three things keeping health care leaders awake at night. Curran is president of Curran Associates, has served as editor of Nursing Economic$ for the past 12 years, and is a faculty member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Estes Park Institute. The agenda will also include a variety of interesting breakout session topics, the opportunity to network, and wrap on Friday with an presentation by Donna Wright of Creative Health Care Management.

The convention will be held at the Radisson Hotel in downtown La Crosse. Anyone who has responsibilities in leading and managing RNs will benefit from the educational agenda and is welcome.

Greg Britton, CEO of Beloit Memorial Hospital, received the Laurence Raymer Headliner Award during the Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Dinner February 26. The award is given to an individual who made a positive impact on the community in the past year.

"His contributions and successes reach across the line between professional and personal, touching the lives of our citizens in multiple ways," according to Beloit Daily News Editor Bill Barth. Britton has served on numerous community boards for the past 24 years, including serving as president of Beloit 2020, a partnership to make public improvements in the city of Beloit.

At their second annual Lenten Luncheon March 5 in La Crosse, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse will present its individual "In My Name" award to Stephen Ronstrom, CEO of Sacred Heart Hospital. The award recognizes individuals and institutions that have contributed dramatically to the Church’s social mission.

As a member of the board of directors of the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse, Ronstrom has helped bring the board to a new level of leadership expertise and compassion for the poor and underserved in accordance with Catholic Charities’ mission of proclaiming Christ’s Gospel of Life and promoting human dignity by alleviating poverty and strengthening families.

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