The
WHBF was formed by a partnership of the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) and Wisconsin Technology Council (WTC) in late 2018. The group was publicly launched at an
event in January. The WHBF was created with two primary objectives: serving as a positive business voice promoting the value of Wisconsin’s high-quality health care environment, and serving as a convener to connect the health care and health tech sectors.
The WHBF Board met September 30 to discuss progress to date and strategize focus areas for the coming months. The formation of the WHBF has had a significant impact on the increased health care focus for WTC and joint WTC/WHBF
events in 2019. WHA President/CEO and WHBF Co-founder Eric Borgerding highlighted “reverse pitch” events – where health care leaders highlight their technology needs to the health tech community – as the epitome of what the WHBF can accomplish as partners. The WHBF sponsored one such event at the annual WTC Tech Summit in
March, and another panel is being formed for the upcoming
Early Stage Symposium in November.
The Board also supported continuing
communication efforts to promote the impact high-quality health care has on Wisconsin’s economy and discussed future partnership opportunities to extend the reach of the WHBF.
“Hospitals and health systems are huge contributors to the Wisconsin economy as employers, job creators, and leaders in making our communities healthier and attractive to business,” Borgerding said. “The WHBF presents the opportunity to champion the value of high-quality health care as an asset to economic development in Wisconsin.”
The Board will reconvene December 16. For more information about the WHBF, contact WHA Vice President of Public Policy
Lisa Ellinger.