- Mile Bluff Medical Center, Mauston

Mile Bluff Medical Center, Mauston, 2024 Community Benefits

Building a Positive Employee Culture and a Stronger Workforce

**Mile Bluff is advancing its efforts to focus on a positive work environment through culture-specific training.**

Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston has recognized that engaged and happy employees lead to better patient care and a stronger community. As a result, employee culture has been a key focus over the past year as efforts have been made to build a positive working environment for its team. This began with culture-specific training for the entire leadership group and continued with fun learning opportunities for all staff to embrace the new, enhanced culture.

Mile Bluff continues to tackle the challenges of today's hiring environment. It found great success with the certified nursing assistant and medical assistant training programs. To recruit candidates for these positions, the center offered to cover tuition costs and provide on-the-job education. In exchange, apprentices commit to employment at Mile Bluff during their year-long training and remain with the organization for at least two years after earning their certification.

Moreover, the center successfully recruited new physicians to broaden services, including three board-certified emergency care providers to elevate care in the emergency department. This is another way the medical center puts its focus on ensuring the organization can continue to meet the growing demand for necessary services.

Through these combined efforts, Mile Bluff remains strong in its organization and team. The center continues moving forward with a dedication to better serve its community.

Mile Bluff Addresses Community Needs in Unique Ways

**Mile Bluff employees take great pride in lending a hand at the community sharing supper.**

Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston is deeply committed to the community, prioritizing progress that directly benefits those it serves. Over the past year, the center has made significant advancements in technology, services, and overall experiences, all aimed at enhancing the well-being of community members.

Mile Bluff continues to respond to the needs of the community by donating to local food pantries, supporting the community sharing supper, and delivering bulk supplies to local schools. In addition, the organization actively gives back by purchasing livestock from local youth, and then giving out free beef to area residents.

The organization widely recognizes the need for mental health resources in the community and partners with local counseling services to offer help with depression and addiction. Over the past year, Mile Bluff also launched the addition of its electronic psych program in the emergency department. This has further enhanced the ability to deliver high-quality care, particularly for patients experiencing a mental health crisis. This program gives patients ease of access through video calls and allows them to collaborate with the ER team. This innovation gives staff the opportunity to provide a rapid psychiatric evaluation to identify the severity of symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation. This can help to provide immediate support, stabilize the patient, and determine the best course of action.

Mile Bluff's positive impact on the community has once again earned them a nomination for the local chamber’s Community Impact Award. This recognition highlights the organization’s commitment to advancing healthcare and making a difference in the community, while also recognizing its broader role in fostering community health and well-being.

Mile Bluff Offers Extensive Financial Support

**Mile Bluff’s dedicated team is available to offer information about its financial assistance program and CareCredit options.**

In today’s economy, the fear of medical bills can deter individuals from seeking necessary care, particularly those with limited or no health insurance. Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston is dedicated to addressing barriers to healthcare access and supporting equal opportunities for everyone to maintain good health. The center works to identify and overcome obstacles that contribute to improving access to healthcare and resources.

Mile Bluff’s team of specialists can help patients with financial support and can even guide them through the sometimes-difficult process of obtaining health insurance.

A key example of the organization’s commitment to the patients it serves is its charity care program, which provided over $1.5 million in financial assistance and debt forgiveness in the past year. To further ease the burden of medical expenses, CareCredit was made available to help patients manage out-of-pocket costs with flexible payment options. This not only aids in immediate financial relief, but also supports patients in building their credit for future stability.

Mile Bluff Medical Center sets a high standard for compassionate, patient-centered care through its charity care program and financial tools like CareCredit. By integrating these solutions, the organization reduces the impact of financial concerns on access to essential medical care.

Mile Bluff Provides Access to Free, Discounted Health Screenings

**Mile Bluff’s providers frequently encourage patients to attend the monthly health fairs, where they can take advantage of free and discounted screenings.**

Every year, Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston makes a significant impact on the community by providing traditional charity care to hundreds of patients, and forgiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills. However, the center's commitment to community health extends beyond just these large-scale efforts—it also focuses on everyday needs.

Understanding that the fear of medical costs can cause people to delay essential preventative care, Mile Bluff organizes monthly events that offer residents access to free and discounted health screenings. These health fairs, held at various locations throughout the year, are recommended by many Mile Bluff providers as an affordable way for patients to monitor medical conditions.

Attendees of these health fairs can take advantage of free services, including blood pressure checks, blood sugar screenings, risk factor health reports, and hearing tests. For a fee of just $20, cholesterol testing is also available.

By offering these services, Mile Bluff Medical Center provides residents with valuable health information, contributing to a healthier community.