Valued Voice

The 2026 WHA Wisconsin Rural Health Conference brought together rural hospital leaders, health care professionals, hospital board members and corporate members June 8-10 at The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake for three days of education, networking and discussion focused on the opportunities and challenges facing rural health care.

Attendees once again took advantage of several annual conference traditions, including the golf outing, welcome reception and exhibitor showcase dinner. New additions this year—including a BBQ cooking class, complimentary headshots and WHA apparel sales—added even more opportunities for attendees to connect with colleagues and enjoy their time together.

The BBQ cooking class

Most importantly, the conference delivered timely, relevant and high-quality education for rural hospital leaders and teams. WHA extends its thanks to the many subject matter experts who shared their time, experience and insights with attendees. 

Breakout sessions covered a wide range of topics important to rural hospitals, including pediatric readiness, multi-generational employee wellness, 340B updates for rural providers, caregiver empathy and well-being, energy and sustainability in rural health care, rural maternal health, Wisconsin’s Rural Transformation Program and practical strategies for rural hospital success. 

Featured sessions included: 

The State of Health Care in Wisconsin
Kyle O'Brien, President & CEO, WHA; Tim Size, Executive Director, RWHC; Moderated by Luke Beirl, President & CEO, Tamarack Health

Tim Size, Luke Beirl, Kyle O’Brien

GenHealth: Navigating Generational Dynamics in Healthcare
Phil Gwoke, CEO Generational Expert and Thought Leader

Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers: A Panel on Advancing Health Workforce Well-Being Across Hospital Settings
Dr. Mike Stadler, Chief Medical Officer & AHW Initiative Champion, Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin; Nadine Allen, Chief Quality Officer & WHA Initiative Sponsor, WHA; Sue Anderson, Regional President, SSM Health Wisconsin; Shawn Lerch, CEO, Sauk Prairie Health; Heather Schmidt, DO, Chief Wellness Officer, SSM Health Fond du Lac Integrative Health; Wendy Ledesma, MD, Chief Wellness Officer, Sauk Prairie Health; moderated by Dr. Stefanie Simmons, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation.

L to R: Dr. Mike Stadler, Dr. Wendy Ledesma, Nadine Allen, Sue Anderson, Dr. Heather Schmidt, Shawn Lerch, Dr. Stephanie Simmons

Rural Health Care Today and Tomorrow: A Conversation with WHA CEO Leaders
Matt Heywood, President & CEO, Aspirus Health; Dan Rohrbach, President & CEO, Southwest Health; John Russell, President & CEO, Prairie Ridge Health; Heather Schimmers, President, Emplify Health; Moderated by Kyle O’Brien, President & CEO, WHA
L to R: Kyle O’Brien, Heather Schimmers, Dan Rohrback, John Russell, Matt Heywood

Culture by Design: Transforming Workplaces One Brain Pattern Interrupt at a Time
Paul Long, Leadership and Culture ExpertPaul Long

WHA thanks the 322 member attendees, 58 exhibitors and 13 sponsors who helped make this year’s conference a success. WHA is especially grateful to the sponsors whose support helps make this annual event possible and strengthens opportunities for rural hospital leaders and partners to learn, connect and collaborate.

SAVE THE DATE 

The 2027 WHA Wisconsin Rural Health Conference will be held Wednesday, June 9 – Friday, June 11 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells.