More than 60 employees were honored at the second annual Health Care Employee Pride Recognition Program May 8 in Wisconsin Dells. The Pride Recognition Program, cosponsored by the Wisconsin Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Society, the Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Executives, and the Wisconsin Society of Healthcare Human Resources Administration, is designed to celebrate the hospital workforce and recognize their "truly amazing" contributions to the health of their communities, according to Wisconsin Hospital Association President Steve Brenton.

"People who work in hospitals are some of Wisconsin’s most dedicated and valuable workers. It takes special people to care for others, and our communities are richer, safer, and healthier places to live because of these professionals," Brenton added. "We hope that by sharing their stories, others will be encouraged to enter a health occupation."

Employees were asked to describe what led them to choose an occupation in health and why they decided to work in a health career. Hundreds of health care employees submitted essays. A committee at each health care facility selected the winning essay, and that person was honored at the recognition banquet on May 8.

Who seems to influence young people in chosing a health career? From the essays, two groups emerged--grandmothers and health care professionals, particularly nurses. In many essays, the authors credited their grandmothers with providing them the encouragement to be a nurse or other health professionals. For children, particularly those who are very ill, it was a nurse who cared for them who served a role model they wanted to emulate when they were older.

"We cannot underestimate the power of our own workforce in influencing students to consider a career in health," said Judy Warmuth, WHA’s vice president of workforce. "It really speaks to the importance of getting our employees out among young people to tell them why they find caring for others so rewarding."

WHA’s proposal to privatize the hospital portions of the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) took an important step forward on May 7 when budget-writing Joint Committee on Finance approved the measure by a vote of 12-4.

Joint Finance member Senator Ted Kanavas (R- Brookfield) authored the budget amendment. "The proposal will provide consumers higher quality information about hospitals and more current data than what the state currently provides," said Kanavas. "And, during a time when health care costs are on the rise, this data will allow consumers to make better decisions in terms of their health care needs."

Under the proposal, WHA would contract with the State Department of Administration (DOA) to assume all of the current hospital data collection and reporting functions now carried out by BHI. WHA would be subject to the current laws that now apply to BHI, and even tighter oversight through a new 10-member HealthCare Accountability Board (HAB). In addition to routine oversight, the HAB will approve fees charged for custom data requests and can have the program put out for bid or returned to BHI if WHA does not perform well.

The budget amendment will also end the current $1.3 million in annual hospital assessments in 2005, with the program eventually supporting itself through increased data sales. WHA has become increasingly concerned that the $1.3 million levied on hospitals is being used to support numerous other unrelated positions and functions within the Division of Health Care Financing.

"The current program simply is not working. The data is outdated and irrelevant by the time it’s made available," said Representative Mike Huebsch (R- West Salem), a co-author of the privatization amendment. "With this proposal, data won’t just be faster, it will be better."

Under the WHA proposal, and consistent with the requirements of current law, revenue generated from the data will be used to cover the costs of the data program, and nothing more.

"Serving on the committee that studied the public health system’s response to terrorism and public health emergencies showed me that access to health care data is key to Wisconsin’s public health initiatives," said Representative Dan Schooff (D-Beloit) during the debate on May 7. "Data has to be timely and accessible, and under this proposal it will be." Schooff joined Kanavas and Huebsch in sponsoring the proposal.

The proposal will now be included in the Joint Finance Committee’s version of the budget bill, which could be considered by both the Senate and Assembly in late May or early June.

For a more detailed description of the proposal, including the numerous accountability and oversight provisions, visit WHA’s website at www.wha.org, or contact Eric Borgerding, Jodi Jensen or Laura Leitch at 608-274-1820.

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Within the next week, Wisconsin hospitals will receive information necessary to voluntarily participate in WHA’s quality initiative. The initiative, which has been applauded by purchasing groups, legislators and health care organizations, will provide consumers with reliable, valid measures of health care quality. The data collected from hospitals will also be shared to facilitate work on internal quality improvement activities.

WHA is pleased to announce that an agreement has been made with MetaStar to collect the 10 clinical measures that will be part of the first phase of the WHA public reporting program. According to WHA President Steve Brenton, the partnership with MetaStar will bring their trusted and credible analytical resources to WHA’s new reporting program.

The goal is to have as close to 100% participation from WHA members as possible. According to Dana Richardson, WHA vice president of quality, every member of the WHA Task Force on Quality and Accountability has committed to participate.

"This important initiative provides an opportunity for hospitals to play a leadership role in embracing quality and accountability. After studying all aspects of public reporting and reviewing the reports that are circulating in the public sector now, we must take the lead in producing a reliable and accurate report or hospitals will forever be subjected to responding to the publication of useless data that misleads consumers and purchasers," Richardson said.

If you have questions as you review the documents that are being sent to the CEO of each system or hospital regarding the public reporting program, contact Dana Richardson drichardson@wha.org  or George Quinn gquinn@wha.org  or call 608-274-1820.

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Sen. Judy Robson (D-Beloit) this week announced her plans to introduce legislation that will mandate minimum staffing ratios in Wisconsin hospitals. Sen. Robson called on legislators to pass the legislation at a Capitol rally this week. Appearing with Robson at the event were Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Madison), Rep. Duane Johnsrud (R-Eastman), Rep. Gregg Underheim (R-Oshkosh), Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Following the lead of California, the bill would require specific patient-to-staff ratios for at least three specific hospital units. To our knowledge, no other states have passed staffing ratio legislation.

According to the SEIU, there is no nursing shortage in Wisconsin, and Sen. Robson sites national surveys showing that understaffing is causing nurses to leave Wisconsin hospitals. The use of unavoidable, or mandatory, overtime has also been cited as a reason nurses are leaving the profession in Wisconsin.

However, a survey of actual Wisconsin nurses conducted by the Department of Workforce Development and others last year indicated quite the opposite. According to the survey, just 6% of nurses had been assigned to work unavoidable (mandatory) overtime in the past month. At the same time, just 3.13% of practicing nurses in Wisconsin said they planned to leave the practice of nursing in the next 12 months. The primary reasons given were:

• 1.0% of practicing RNs will retire

• 0.7% of practicing RNs that will leave the practice cite job stress

• 0.4% of practicing RNs that will leave the practice are changing careers

• 0.4% of practicing RNs that will leave the practice cite salary

• 0.2% of practicing RNs that will leave the practice cite family obligations

• 0.1% of practicing RNs that will leave the practice are returning to school

• 0.1% of practicing RNs said shift and hours worked is the reason they are leaving the profession of nursing.

Last week, Rep. Johnsrud announced his plans to re-introduce legislation banning the use of unavoidable overtime (Rep. Johnsrud has also reintroduced legislation (AB 314) requiring hospital administrators to become licensed).

"It is our hope that eventually we can get to a point where the real issues – the shortage of health care professionals – can be addressed," said WHA Senior VP Eric Borgerding. "Legislating by anecdote, while ignoring the fact that there are waiting lists to get into health programs at most of our schools and colleges, will simply delay real solutions. We should be working together – hospitals, unions and lawmakers – to solve the real problem, which is a shortage of health care professionals that will only get worse in the future," said Borgerding. "These types of bills will do absolutely nothing to address that situation."

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This week, the Joint Committee on Finance approved changes to Governor Doyle’s proposed restructuring of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP). A preliminary review of the committee’s action shows provider discounts will still increase from 20 to 26%of charges, reducing hospital payments by about $2.5 million annually. Total annual hospital discounts will reach $18.4 million.

The Finance Committee accepted the proposal to eliminate about $10 million annually of state general purpose revenue (GPR) funding for HIRSP. It also reduced funding to reflect revised benefit cost estimates. However, the committee maintained the current allocation of program costs among policyholders, insurers and health care providers. The original proposal increased provider discounts and insurer assessments from 20 to 21% of program costs, and reduced policyholder payments from 60 to 58%.

"While eliminating state support for HIRSP worsens cost increases caused by climbing enrollment and means larger mandatory provider discounts, maintaining the existing allocation of costs is a step in the right direction as we look for ways to stabilize the program," said George Quinn, WHA senior vice president and HIRSP board member.

While the committee avoided an overhaul of HIRSP, members promised to step up efforts to stabilize and improve the program.

"Wisconsin is out of sync with other states and can’t afford what it does," said Senator Alberta Darling
R-River Hills). "HIRSP is an important program for people who can’t get insurance anywhere else, and we need to make sure it works."

The committee also voted to repeal the requirement that the HIRSP plan administrator be the Medical Assistance fiscal agent. Under the measure, the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) must issue an RFP for a new plan administrator.

The Joint Committee on Finance is expected to complete its work on the state budget by May 23, 2003. After that, the budget will be debated by the full legislature. For more information on this, or any budget issues, contact Eric Borgerding or Jodi Jensen at 608-274-1820 or eborgerding@wha.org  or jjensen@wha.org .

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WHA is aware that at least a handful of state employees are apparently panicked about WHA’s efforts to "privatize" hospital data collection and dissemination currently administered by the Bureau of Health Information (BHI).

Cutting to the chase, some within the agency are understandably concerned about losing their historic role in data collection and dissemination. The fact that BHI performance has been, at best, "spotty" from a timeliness perspective and woefully inadequate from an innovation perspective, makes little difference to those who are poised to lose program responsibilities, staff and money…especially the money!

It appears that panic has set in because BHI may lose its "taxing authority" over Wisconsin hospitals…taxing authority that along with data sales generates in excess of $1.5 million annually for program responsibilities that WHA maintains can be accomplished with a budget in the $500-$600,000 range.

WHA strongly believes, based on a thorough analysis of the BHI budget, that provider assessments are being used to pay for activities and unrelated operations that are not included, nor intended, in the enabling statute. BHI staff have reportedly suggested that the WHA proposal may be perceived as the "fox watching the henhouse" despite strong accountabilities that include an oversight board composed largely of purchasers, consumers, labor representatives and state agency officials that will actually approve data fees. If WHA is the fox "watching" the henhouse, then perhaps BHI has been the fox "eating" the hens, given the organization’s historic tax-and-spend track record.

WHA is prepared to take over hospital claims responsibilities from BHI in order to improve timeliness, reduce costs and improve the innovation of information needed by providers, purchasers and state government. And, we’re willing to provide state government with statewide inpatient and outpatient databases at no cost while subjecting our performance to an accountability and oversight process that leaves no question unanswered regarding the outcome of this initiative.

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The leadership team from All Saints Healthcare recently welcomed Senator Cathy Stepp to their Spring Street Campus. Senator Stepp went on a tour of the St. Luke’s Center for Women and Children, which formally opened in March. The center features a state-of-the-art Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a Women’s Imaging Center and a Perinatal Assessment Center. Senator Stepp had an opportunity to speak directly with nurses and physicians and view the pediatric unit, the nursery and a postpartum room. She was impressed with the new facility and was pleased to learn of all of the changes taking place on the campus.

Present for the tour and discussion were members from All Saints Executive Team including Ken Buser, president and CEO; Jim Beck, chief financial officer, and Sue Boland, sr. vice president of patient care services, as well as Julie Swiderski, regional director of government relations for both All Saints and Covenant Healthcare System.

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Nominations are now being accepted for WHA’s annual Distinguished Service Award and Trustee Award, as well as for the ACHE Young Healthcare Executive Award. These important awards recognize those who display leadership, dedication and professionalism to their community or their association.

WHA will recognize the award winners at the 2003 Annual Convention in September. You may know someone in your region, in your hospital or on your Board of Directors who deserves such an honor. You now have an opportunity to nominate them for one of these annual awards:

• Distinguished Service Award is presented to a senior health care executive who has made an exemplary commitment to WHA and the community he/she serves.
• Trustee Award honors a trustee of a WHA member organization who has made an exemplary commitment to his/her community and to the organization on whose board he/she serves.
• ACHE Young Healthcare Executive Award is presented to a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives under the age of 40 who has shown exceptional professional development.

Administrators, trustees, senior managers, nurse leaders, volunteers and others are encouraged to review the criteria for the awards and consider nominating someone to receive one of these honors.

The deadline for submitting nominations is July 11. Details about the nomination process and criteria for nomination can be found in the annual awards brochure in this week’s packet and is available on the WHA web site at www.wha.org in the About section. For more information, contact WHA’s executive office at 608-274-1820 or visit www.wha.org.

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At several WHA-sponsored meetings, members have described frustrations in working with local nursing schools to increase enrollment. The comments made, have concerned the Board of Nursing requirement that faculty hold a master’s degree in nursing. Lack of nurses prepared at this level has been cited as the reason enrollments are limited.

This week’s Wisconsin Regulatory Digest (April, 2003) includes an update on Nursing Faculty Qualifications. The article states that the Board has "expressed a willingness to receive models of relationships between masters- prepared faculty and agency or school based clinical experts to provide for clinical education. The models will be evaluated on an individual basis."

This means that the Board will consider programs where expert staff nurses are used to provide clinical support to students. There must be a planned model for this support, it must involve faculty with the appropriate degree, and the Board of Nursing must approve the plan.

Approaching your local nursing school with an offer of clinical experts to work with their faculty is a great possibility. It might allow for increased enrollments, give students a ‘real nurse’ model and could even recruit a future employee. For more information or if you have questions, contact Judy Warmuth, WHA, jwarmuth@wha.org or 608-274-1820.

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May 16 is the deadline for project submissions for WHA’s 2003 Quality & Safety Showcase. Examples of projects eligible for submission include those that enhance organization-wide improvement culture and structure; are undertaken to improve quality or safety of care; and demonstrate how quality improvement practices are utilized in an organization.

Projects will be shared at the Quality & Safety Showcase, scheduled for October 27-28 in Wausau. The event will combine education with showcased projects submitted by hospitals from across the state. This year’s event will be a bit different, in that the focus of this year’s showcase has been expanded to include all quality improvement and safety initiatives, beyond just patient safety initiatives. This will be reflected in both the educational programming and in the showcase of projects.

For questions about project submission, contact Shannon Nelson at 608-274-1820 or snelson@wha.org . If you have questions about the Quality & Safety Showcase, contact Dana Richardson or Jennifer Frank at 608-274-1820, or drichardson@wha.org  or jfrank@wha.org . Agenda and registration information for the October conference will be distributed in August.

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WHA, in partnership with the ACHE Regents Advisory Council of Wisconsin, is offering a seminar entitled "Persuasion Skills and Strategies: Getting the Results You Want" to ACHE members in conjunction with this year’s Rural Health Conference.

The ACHE seminar, which is approved to award 6.0 Category I (ACHE Education) credit hours, will be offered from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, June 27, which is the closing day of the WHA Rural Health Conference.

A brochure and a registration form are available in this week’s packet and on the web site at www.wha.org. Attendance is limited to 40, so register early. You do not need to attend the full Rural Health Conference to participate in this seminar. If you do attend both the Rural Health Conference and the ACHE seminar, there is an additional cost to attend this Category I session.

For more information on the program content, contact Jennifer Frank at 608-274-1820 or email at jfrank@wha.org . For registration questions, contact Bridget Gifford at 608-274-1820 or email at bgifford@wha.org .

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The conference will open with Dr. Marsha Brand, from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, sharing the federal view of current and future rural health initiatives, followed by a panel of presenters sharing different perspectives on the state of rural health in Wisconsin.

Hospital administrators, management staff, nurse leaders and trustees are encouraged to attend this conference. There will be a special trustee education session focused on effective governance on June 26, followed by a trustee breakfast on June 27.

The Rural Health Conference will be held on June 25-27, 2003, at the Kalahari Resort & Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells. The full conference brochure with registration information is included in this week’s packet and is available on the web site at www.wha.org. Don’t forget to ask for the WHA Rural Health Conference room block at the Kalahari Resort when making your reservation.

For more information on the program content, contact Jennifer Frank at 608-274-1820 or email at jfrank@wha.org . For registration questions, contact Bridget Gifford at 608-274-1820 or email at bgifford@wha.org .

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The Healthy Wisconsin 2003 Campaign kicks off May 15. Information packets about the campaign will be sent to hospital CEOs early next week. Last year, hospital advocates from all over the state made personal commitments to support the hospital advocacy agenda resulting in bypassing the goal by $20,000! This year’s goal of $125,000 for Healthy Wisconsin and AHAPAC will continue the commitment to support the advocacy agenda for Wisconsin hospitals. WHA’s early leadership giving has set the stage for another successful campaign. For information about Healthy Wisconsin, contact Ann Lucas at alucas@wha.org  or 608-274-1820.

Kudos to the following for setting the pace for 2003!

• Tim Size Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative

• Steve Brenton Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Ed Howe Aurora Health Care

• Jon Vice Children’s Health System, Inc.

• Eric Borgerding Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Ann Lucas Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Paul Nannis Aurora Health Care

• Mark Ambrosius St. Luke’s Medical Center/Aurora

• Loren Anderson Memorial Hospital of Burlington/Aurora

• Paul Dell Uomo Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• Susan Ela Aurora Health Care

• Lief Erickson Memorial Hospital of Burlington/Aurora

• Eliot Huxley Aurora Health Care

• Laura Leitch Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Patricia Schroeder Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• Charles Shabino Community Health Care, Inc.

• Jack Steinman Aurora Health Care

• Joy Tapper Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• Rexford Titus, III ProHealth Care, Inc.

• Paul Spaude Community Health Care, Inc.

• Daniel Bonk St. Joseph Regional Medical Center/Covenant

• Kenneth Buser All Saints Healthcare System, Inc.

• John Goodenow Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• William Grundler Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• Raleigh Bruce James St Michael Hospital/Covenant

• George Johnson Reedsburg Area Medical Center

• Dean Kaster Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• Thomas Koehler Aurora BayCare Medical Center

• Gerald Lefert St. Marys Hospital Medical Center/SSM

• Daniel Manders Mile Bluff Medical Center

• Fred McGee Meriter Hospital

• Raymond Myers St. Joseph’s Hospital/HSHS

• David Olson Bay Area Medical Center

• Dana Richardson Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Craig W.C. Schmidt Partners Health System, Inc.

• David Smith Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• Debra Standridge St. Francis Hospital/Covenant

• Bobbe Teigen Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital

• Nick Turkal Aurora Health Care

• Charles Runge Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital

• Rosemary Anton Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• Kimry Johnsrud Elmbrook Memorial Hospital/Covenant

• Mary Brenton Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Mark Schwartz Aurora Medical Center Washington County

• Jennifer Frank WHA Financial Solutions, Inc.

• Roberta Riddle Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Stephen Ronstrom Sacred Heart Hospital/HSHS

• Pat Dagnon Priairie du Chien Memorial/Partners of WHA

• Anne Ballentine Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• William Bestor Community Memorial Hospital/Froedtert

• Gary Bezucha Boscobel Area Health Care/SSM

• Lynn Carey Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• David Harper Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• George Hinton Aurora Sinai Medical Center

• Michael Karuschak Amery Regional Medical Center

• Jack Lockhart, MD Gunderson Lutheran

• James Malicki WHA Financial Solutions, Inc.

• Daniel Mattes Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• Eugene McMahon St. Francis Hospital/Covenant

• Jake Nunn St. Luke’s Medical Center/Aurora

• Greg Roraff Memorial Health Center, Medford

• Janet Schriner Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• John Kestly Shawano Medical Center

• Ed Harding Columbus Community Hospital

• Mary Brasseaux St. Nicholas Hospital/HSHS

• Matt Sande Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Jodi Jensen Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Johni Stout WHA Financial Solutions, Inc.

• Bill Bazan Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Michael Connor St. Luke’s Medical Center/Aurora

• Sean Cote WHA Financial Solutions, Inc.

• David Grundstrom Flambeau Hospital/Ministry

• Jeffrey Hine J. Hine & Associates, Inc.

• Jane Hodnik Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• Bradley Murray Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.

• John Riegler St. Luke’s Medical Center/Aurora

• Heather Schroeder WHA Financial Solutions, Inc.

• Judy Warmuth Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Dana Borgerding Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Mary Kay Grasmick Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Timothy Allen Sacred Heart Hospital/HSHS

• Jim Hemes Affinity Health System, Inc.

• JoAnn Jones Sacred Heart Hospital/HSHS

• Jean Needham Holy Family Hospital

• Richard Range Baldwin Area Medical Center

• Sharon Whelan River Falls Area Hospital

• Dave Cutler WHA Financial Solutions, Inc.

• Gail Piper WHA Financial Solutions, Inc.

• Rob Myers Vernon Memorial Hospital

• Larry Matthews St. Vincent Hospital/HSHS

• Dawn DeSart Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• George Quinn Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Shelley Weiler Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

• Jon Braddock WHA Financial Solutions, Inc.

• Mandy Kalepp Wisconsin Hospital Association, Inc.

Split dollar life insurance arrangements have long been used as a non-qualified executive benefit. In fact, the IRS legitimized the use of split dollar in its current form in a 1964 Revenue Ruling (64-328). While the IRS amplified its position in a number of subsequent rulings, the application of split dollar programs as a non-qualified benefit plan flourished.

Today, most corporations and thousands of closely-held businesses employ split dollar plans to provide death benefits and supplemental retirement income to a select group of valued employees. However, the IRS has recently revisited its position on split dollar arrangements, due in part to abuses it detected in more aggressively structured plan designs.

For more information, refer to Solutions Spotlight, included in this week’s packet or contact Dave Cutler at 800-362-7121 or dcutler@wha.org .

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Building A Healthier Hudson capital campaign for a new hospital on I-94 in Hudson, Wisconsin exceeded its baseline goal of $15.5 million with a generous contribution of $1.2 million from the Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The St. Paul Foundation. The hospital is part of a $45 million health campus, which will open on
June 29, 2003.

"Hudson and the surrounding area, has a well established reputation of its residents getting their minds set on getting something done to benefit the community, and then using their time, talents, and resources to make it happen," commented John Clymer, Hudson Hospital board chairman. "Fifty years ago the community came together to raise the funds to build the first community hospital, and now the new Hudson Health Campus will open next month."

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Barb Kraft, LPN

Amery Regional Medical Center, Amery

Mary Ann Scoglio

Nurse Practitioner

Aurora Hartford Medical Center, Hartford

Michele Leiske, CNA

Certified Nursing Assistant

Aurora Health Care, Milwaukee

Stacie Snap

Clinical Research Coordinator

Aurora Sinai Medical Center, Milwaukee

Deborah Hall, RN

Registered Nurse

Aurora/St. Luke’s South Shore, Cudahy

Sue Underbrink

Supervisor, Patient Access Services

Baldwin Area Medical Center, Baldwin

Stella Berry, CNA

Certified Nursing Assistant

Bay Area Medical Center, Marinette

Beverly Bertrand, RN

Registered Nurse

Beaver Dam Community Hospital, Beaver Dam

Joan Wanke, RN

Registered Nurse

Bellin Hospital, Green Bay

Gail Boushley, RN

Team Leader

Beloit Memorial Hospital/Riverside Terrace, Beloit

Erica Softley

Activities Coordinator

Black River Memorial Hospital, Black River Falls

Kathleen Harasimowicz, RN

Boscobel Area Health Care, Boscobel

Darla Karasek, LPN

Children’s Hospital of WI-Fox Valley, Neenah

Amy Korlesky, RN

Pediatric Nurse

Children’s Hospital of WI-Kenosha, Kenosha

Renee Essington

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Chris Lutze

Pediatric RN

Columbia St. Mary’s, Milwaukee

JoAnne Arndt, RN

Registered Nurse

Columbia St. Mary’s, Milwaukee

Mary Schils

X-Ray Technologist

Community Memorial Hospital, Oconto Falls

Susan Rindt

Housekeeper

Divine Savior Healthcare, Portage

Cindy Wilson

Medical Technologist

Elmbrook Memorial Hospital, Brookfield

Susan Borsari, RN, BSN

Flambeau Hospital, Park Falls

Laurie McKuen, EMT

Emergency Medical Technician

Fort Atkinson Memorial Health Services, Fort Atkinson

Amy Romans, LPN

Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, Arcadia

Cynthia Schultz

Activity Assistant

Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, La Crosse

Camilla Jaekel

Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, Sparta

Susan Davis, RN

Nurse

Grant Regional Health Center, Lancaster

Tonya Schlueter

Physical Therapist

Gundersen Lutheran, La Crosse

Colleen Brogan-Raasch, CMD

Radiation Oncology

Holy Family Memorial Hospital, Manitowoc

Cheryl Terp

Credentialing Coordinator

Howard Young Medical Center, Woodruff

Joyce Knapp

Housekeeper

Kindred Hospital Milwaukee, Greenfield

Christina Keedick, RRT

Respiratory Therapist

Memorial Health Center, Medford

Sandra Clarke, RN

Registered Nurse

Memorial Hospital of Lafayette Co., Darlington

Patricia Stauffacher, RN

Nursing Supervisor

Memorial Medical Center, Neillsville

April Dailey, CNA

Certified Nursing Assistant

Mercy Health System, Janesville

Linda Neuenschwander

Nurse

Meriter Hospital, Madison

Judy Eckblad, RN

Educator

The Monroe Clinic, Monroe

Gynel Hagemann, RN

Registered Nurse

Reedsburg Area Medical Center, Reedsburg

Janice Schultz, CNA

Certified Nursing Assistant

The Richland Hospital, Richland Center

Patty Pulvermacher

Administrative Assistant

Riverview Hospital Association, Wisconsin Rapids

Bev Walther, RN

Registered Nurse

Sacred Heart Hospital, Eau Claire

Kelly Gullo

Respiratory Therapist

Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield

Candy Strey, RN, BSN, OCN

Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital, Prairie du Sac

Judith Wolff

ECG Technician

St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, Baraboo

Kerri Vertein-Seiler

Patient Accounting

St. Francis Hospital, Milwaukee

Mary Ann Biederwolf, RN

Registered Nurse

St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, Milwaukee

Mary Kay Klukas, RN, BSN

St. Joseph’s Community Health Services, Hillsboro

Laurene Wurster

Nurse

St. Joseph’s Hospital, Chippewa Falls

Susan Yetter, RN

Registered Nurse

St. Luke’s Medical Center, Milwaukee

Amy Pelikan

Radiation Therapist

St. Marys Hospital Medical Center, Madison

Lois Leveque

Nurse

St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center, Green Bay

Elaine Ouellette

Director of Emergency Services

St. Michael Hospital, Milwaukee

Juliann Daniels

Occupational Therapy Assistant

St. Michael’s Hospital, Stevens Point

Kelly Domres

Staffing Coordinator

St. Nicholas Hospital, Sheboygan

Mary Lou Roethel, RN

Certified Diabetes Educator

St. Vincent Hospital, Green Bay

Georgia Stapleton, RN

Case Manager

Upland Hills Health, Dodgeville

Erin Groshek

Community Relations Assistant

VA Medical Center, Tomah

Barbara Wright, RN

Nurse Manager

Vernon Memorial Healthcare, Viroqua

Peggy Clark

Nurse

Watertown Area Health Services, Watertown

Christine Grimm, RN

Registered Nurse

Wausau Hospital, Wausau

Amanda Ferrill, RN

Registered Nurse

West Allis Memorial Hospital, West Allis

Michael Krogman, RN

Registered Nurse