Quality Advisor

Wisconsin Hospitals Lead the Nation in Patient Ratings for Nurse Communication

Patient Experience and Satisfaction is a Competitive Advantage to Wisconsin

Wisconsin hospitals continue to set the national standard for high-quality, patient-centered care, with more hospitals earning five-star ratings for nurse communication than any other state in the country, according to recently released data.

A list compiled by Becker’s Hospital Review using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) data shows 44 Wisconsin hospitals earned five-star ratings for nurse communication—the most of any state of any size. Pennsylvania ranked second with 42 hospitals, followed by Texas with 33 and Ohio with 32.

CMS shares 10 HCAHPS star ratings based on publicly reported measures. The nurse communication rating reflects how well patients feel their nurses clearly explained things, listened carefully and treated them with courtesy and respect. The ratings are based on data collected between July 2024 and June 2025.

“Wisconsin hospitals rely on a highly qualified nursing workforce to sustain the top-quality health care Wisconsin is known for” notes WHA Senior Vice President of Workforce and Clinical Practice Ann Zenk. “This latest top-of-the nation rating demonstrates that Wisconsin’s nursing workforce is a highly trained and effectively deployed portion of the hospital workforce.”

“Wisconsin’s strong performance on nurse communication reflects the dedication of individual nurses and the support provided by hospital and health systems to enable effective nurse communication with patients,” said WHA President & CEO Kyle O’Brien. “At a time when workforce challenges continue to strain hospitals and health systems across the nation, Wisconsin hospitals continue to prioritize resources on investments that will help our workforce communicate effectively with patients and deliver the exceptional care our communities depend on.”

See WHA press release for more information.

CMS Releases Outpatient Rule with Proposed 340B and Site-Neutral Cuts

On July 2, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed 2027 outpatient rule with an overall payment increase of 2.4%, but included several concerned provisions impacting 340B, site-neutral payments and the inpatient only list, among others.

Following the proposed rule's release, the American Hospital Association issued a statement saying they are “deeply concerned” about the outpatient rule provisions that would reduce 340B reimbursement rates by a “shocking” 33.4%. WHA continues to analyze and quantify the proposed rule’s impact on Wisconsin hospitals, as we prepare to join AHA in pushing back against these cuts that threaten hospitals in rural and urban Wisconsin communities.

CMS proposes to reduce Medicare reimbursements for 340B prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals that are not PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, sole community hospitals or children's hospitals. Instead of the current reimbursement of the average sale price (ASP) + 6%, CMS proposes a reimbursement amount of ASP minus 33.4%. This is an estimated reduction of $4.85 billion to 340B hospitals that would be applied in a budget-neutral manner, meaning it would be reabsorbed into overall hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) payments. CMS says it has collected enough data, as required by statute and enforced in the Supreme Court decision that ruled previous 340B cuts attempted by CMS in the 2018 OPPS rule were unlawful.

In addition to these 340B reimbursement cuts, CMS proposes accelerating the recoupment of hospital payments that went out due to those previously ruled unlawful 340B cuts implemented in the 2018 OPPS rule. The agency had previously finalized a recoupment strategy recouping the full $7.8B in payments from 2026-2042. The new timeline would fully recoup these payments by 2029.

WHA will continue to evaluate this rule in anticipation of the August 31 comment deadline.

See the CY 2027 Medicare Outpatient PPS Proposed Rule Brief which is also found behind the member portal, and also see the July 9 Valued Voice article for more information.

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Special Funding Announcement - Small Health Care Provider Quality Program

Apply for the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program by August 6. The purpose of the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program is to strengthen the quality improvement culture in small rural healthcare facilities by building capacity to effectively collect and use clinical data while implementing evidence-based approaches to improve health care quality with a particular focus on improving chronic disease outcomes.

Applicants must be non-profit or public entities located in a rural area. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has $5 million for up to 20 awards and recipients can receive up to $250,000 per year over a four-year project period.

Visit the HHS webpages Tips for Preparing Grant and HRSA Grants Page for important information on pre-application requirements and guidance on submitting an application.

Any questions can be directed to Kristin Martinsen.

2027 American Hospital Association Quest for Quality Applications Open Through August 18

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is now accepting applications for the 2027 Quest for Quality Prize, with submissions open through August 18 at 12 p.m. The Quest for Quality Prize recognizes hospitals and health systems that demonstrate exceptional leadership and innovation in advancing quality, safety, patient- and family-centered care, and community health improvement. The award honors organizations that are developing innovative models of care, partnering to improve population health, addressing health disparities and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. All U.S. hospitals and health systems are eligible to apply, and many past applicants report that the application process itself provided valuable opportunities for self-assessment, organizational learning and recognition of best practices. Learn more about eligibility, application requirements and submission instructions on the AHA Quest for Quality Prize website.

Rural Health Transformation Workforce Grant Announcement

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced a competitive rural health care workforce grant opportunity funded by the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), with awards ranging from $500,000 to $10 million over four years.

In total, DWD will award up to $150 million in grants through 2030 to non-profit organizations and governmental entities located in and serving any county in Wisconsin except Milwaukee County. Almost $5 million will be available in the first year.

Some eligible uses of the rural health care workforce funds include recruiting and retaining clinical workforce talent in rural areas, providing training and technical assistance to develop and adopt technology-enabled solutions that improve care delivery in rural hospitals and assisting rural communities to “right size” their health care systems by identifying needed services lines, according to DWD’s grant program announcement.

The deadline to apply for year one of the grant is Monday, August 17 at 3 p.m.

WHA reviewed DWD’s RHTP grant funding opportunity and shared in the July 2 edition of the Valued Voice.

Please contact WHA Senior Vice President, Workforce and Clinical Practice Ann Zenk with questions about the DWD workforce grants or any other workforce issue.

Caring for Wisconsin's Caregivers    

2026 WHA Healthcare Workforce Well-being Summit: Advancing Phase 2 of Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers

For more than a year, Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers has been making a meaningful impact across the state. During Phase 1, hospitals and health care organizations reviewed credentialing applications to confirm they are free from intrusive mental health questions and stigmatizing language that can discourage health care workers from seeking needed mental health support. As a result, 87 Wisconsin hospitals and care facilities across more than 30 counties earned recognition as Wellbeing First Champions through the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, helping reduce barriers to mental health care for more than 22,000 credentialed health care workers statewide.

Now, this important work is moving forward.

Join hospital and health system leaders on September 10 for the 2026 WHA Healthcare Workforce Well-being Summit, the official launch of Phase 2 of the Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers initiative. This one-day event will bring together leaders from clinical, operational, quality, safety and human resources teams for a day of learning, collaboration and strategic action planning focused on workforce well-being.

The summit will feature nationally recognized experts:

• Gaurava Agarwal, MD, chief wellness executive and vice president at Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, who will share practical strategies for creating organizational conditions that support both workforce well-being and operational success.
• Stef Simmons, MD, chief medical officer of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, who will discuss national efforts and proven approaches to advancing clinician well-being.

Participants will also be introduced to The Breen Scale™, the foundation of Phase 2. This evidence-based assessment tool will help organizations evaluate their current environment, identify opportunities for improvement, and prepare for Phase 3, which will focus on implementing sustainable workforce well-being strategies beginning in 2027.

Organizations are encouraged to attend as a team, as workforce well-being is a shared responsibility that requires leadership engagement across multiple disciplines. Click here for more information.

Event Details

Date: September 10, 2026

Time: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Location: Hilton Garden Inn Madison-Sun Prairie

1220 South Grand Avenue

Sun Prairie, WI 53590

Cost: Complimentary for WHA hospital and corporate members

Learn more and register here.

This event is made possible through Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers, an initiative supported by the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW) Landmark Initiative for Health Workforce Well-being.

For additional information, including the agenda, lodging details and registration, visit the event website or contact education@wha.org. Together, we can continue building healthier workplaces and a stronger, more sustainable health care workforce across Wisconsin.

Superior Health Quality Alliance    

CMS 13th Scope of Work (SOW) Enrollment Extended

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the enrollment deadline for the 13th Scope of Work (SOW). This limited-time extension gives hospitals another opportunity to partner with Superior Health and join the other 91 Wisconsin hospitals already participating.

You can hear more about this program in this short video from CMS Administrator Dr. Oz.

We encourage interested hospitals to enroll soon and take advantage of the valuable resources and support available through this initiative.

To enroll, please use this enrollment link to begin the process. Please contact Casey Zimpel with enrollment questions or for more information.

This initiative is aligned with CMS Overall Hospital Star Ratings and Value-Based Purchasing programs, supporting hospitals in improving quality, safety and performance outcomes.

WHA is a member of the Superior Health Quality Alliance (Superior Health), an eight-partner organization focused on improving care for Medicare beneficiaries. They collaborate with patients, clinicians, healthcare organizations and communities across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin to support the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) quality improvement objectives.