THE VALUED VOICE

Vol 6

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IN THIS ISSUE

WHA’s Strategic Plan and Future Advocacy Priorities Focus of Annual Board RetreatLeaders from three state agencies discuss key issues and collaboration

The WHA Board of Directors and WHA staff held their annual strategic planning session August 14-16 in Arbor Vitae. Board member discussions focused on the WHA strategic plan and physician engagement strategies. The retreat also featured a panel discussion with key leaders from three state agencies that have a significant role in Wisconsin health care.

WHA Chair-Elect Dan Meyer, President of Aurora BayCare Medical Center, and WHA President and CEO Eric Borgerding, kicked off the meeting by highlighting recent successes with the state biennial budget process and connected those achievements to the pillars of WHA’s strategic plan and mission. “This year’s meeting will focus on looking ahead and maintaining WHA’s top influential position in Wisconsin health care,” said Borgerding. “We will do so by staying diligent in achieving the five elements that define WHA value—responsive, knowledgeable, influential, impactful and relevant.”

Register Now for WHA’s Second Annual Post-Acute Care Conference ............. 1

WHA’s Strategic Plan and Future Advocacy Priorities Focus of Annual Board Retreat ................................... 1

Wisconsin Hospitals State PAC & Conduit Fundraising Update ............. 2

WHA Provides Medicare PPS Rule Summaries and Hospital-Specific Analysis on Medicare Reimbursement ............................... 2

DUE SEPT. 6: Community Benefit Stories............................................... 2

Register Now for WHA’s Second Annual Post-Acute Care ConferenceThere are less than two weeks until WHA’s second annual Post-Acute Care Conference, “Challenges in Post-Acute Care: Discharging Complex Hospital Patients.” This one-day conference will be held Friday, September 6, 2019, at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

The program will address the challenges hospitals face in finding appropriate, accessible post-acute care for complex patients waiting to be discharged.

Register here. For conference-related questions, contact WHA Vice President of Policy Development Laura Rose.

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EDUCATIONAL EVENTS

August 27, 2019

September 6, 2019WHA 2019 Post-Acute Care ConferenceWisconsin Dells, WI

September 11-12, 2019Health Equity and Literacy WorkshopMadison, WI

Visit www.wha.org for more educational

opportunities

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DUE SEPT. 6: Community Benefit StoriesTime to submit stories highlighting what your hospital/health system does for its community!

Later this fall, WHA will publish its annual Community Benefits Report that highlights how Wisconsin hospitals help support their communities, families and patients.

Each WHA member hospital may submit a story in each of the three categories below:

• Charity care: free care for those who cannot afford it. These make for especially powerful stories.

• Free clinics: tell us about the free clinic(s) your hospital/health system runs or contributes to.

• Hospital-supported initiatives: identify a priority from your community health needs assessment and explain how the hospital/health system led an effort to address it. If you engaged community partners, include those partners in the story, too.

Stories are due by September 6, and we would ideally like to include a story from each member hospital. We’ve created an online form to make it easy to submit your article.

Go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WHAcbStories2019 to upload your story and photo to accompany the article. Please submit an image with your story whenever possible as that helps tell a compelling story to legislators, the public, and media outlets in both the report and on social media.

If you have questions, contact WHA Communications at 608-274-1820.

Wisconsin Hospitals State PAC & Conduit Fundraising UpdateSee full contributor list

The Wisconsin Hospitals State PAC & Conduit continues toward its annual goal of $320,000 with a total of $205,217 raised to-date. The 2019 campaign is now at 64% of its goal with personal contributions from 193 individuals. Each week, roughly $5,800 has been raised with an average contribution of $1,063 per individual.

A special thanks to the individuals who have launched personal campaigns to help raise awareness and increase participation. Through this effort, the Wisconsin Hospitals State PAC & Conduit has added 23 new contributors this year.

Take a look at the full 2019 contributor list on pages 3-4 to see who made the list.

To ensure your name is on future contributor lists, make your personal contribution today at www.whconduit.com or by contacting WHA’s Kari Hofer at 608-268-1816 or Nora Statsick at 608-239-4535.

WHA Provides Medicare PPS Rule Summaries and Hospital-Specific Analysis on Medicare Reimbursement As we enjoy the last few weeks of summer, we are also in the middle of CMS payment rule season as it continues to release the 2020 Medicare proposed and final prospective payment system (PPS) rules for hospital-based services ranging from inpatient and outpatient, to home health, psychiatric, rehab and skilled nursing facility (SNF) services.

WHA has excellent resources on our website to help members understand these important Medicare payment rules, providing detailed rule summaries and hospital-specific analysis on the financial impact of the changing rules.

All completed PPS rule summaries can be found on the WHA website on the Medicare topic webpage. The hospital-specific fiscal analysis of the Medicare PPS payment rules can be obtained on the WHA member portal.

Contact WHA Senior Vice President of Finance/COO Brian Potter if you have questions.

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Contributors $10,000+ - Leaders Circle

Borgerding, Eric & Dana Wisconsin Hospital Association

Contributors $5,000 to $7,499 - Leaders Circle

Boatwright, Damond SSM Health WisconsinKammer, Peter The Kammer GroupMeyer, Daniel Aurora BayCare Medical Center - Green BaySize, Tim & Pat Rural Wisconsin Health CooperativeTroy, Peggy Children’s Hospital of WisconsinTurkal, Nick Advocate Aurora HealthTyre, Scott Capitol Navigators, Inc.Woleske, Chris Bellin Health System

Contributors $3,000 to $4,999 - Platinum Club

Ellinger, Lisa Wisconsin Hospital AssociationHarding, Ed Aurora Medical Center - Bay AreaHeywood, Matthew Aspirus, Inc.Hofer, Kari Wisconsin Hospital AssociationJacobson, Catherine Froedtert & The Medical College of WisconsinKachelski, Joe Wisconsin Statewide Health Information NetworkKaplan, Alan UW HealthMettner, Michelle Children’s Hospital of WisconsinO’Brien, Kyle Wisconsin Hospital AssociationOlson, David & Joanne Alig Froedtert & The Medical College of WisconsinPandl, Therese HSHS - Eastern Wisconsin DivisionPotter, Brian Wisconsin Hospital AssociationSherry, Bernie Ascension WisconsinStandridge, Debra Ascension WisconsinStanford, Matthew Wisconsin Hospital AssociationStarmann-Harrison, Mary Hospital Sisters Health SystemTeigen, Seth Ascension WisconsinWallace, Michael Fort HealthCare

Contributors $2,000 to $2,999 - Gold Club

Hanus, Andrew Advocate Aurora HealthMcKevett, Timothy Beloit Health SystemNatzke, Ryan Marshfield Clinic Health SystemNewson, Reggie Ascension WisconsinRussell, John SSM - Columbus Community HospitalSchulze, Connie UW HealthWhite-Jacobs, Mary Beth Black River Memorial HospitalZenk, Ann Wisconsin Hospital Association

Contributors $1,500 to $1,999 - Gold Club

Anderson, Sandy Ascension Howard Young Medical CenterBagnall, Andrew HSHS - Western Wisconsin DivisionBakkum, Kyle Vernon Memorial HealthcareBasilotto, Steve Froedtert HealthBrenton, Stephen Wisconsin Hospital AssociationBrussow, Julie Marshfield Clinic Health SystemCarlson, Peter Aurora Psychiatric HospitalDibbert, Beth Wisconsin Hospital AssociationDietsche, James Bellin HospitalErickson, Susan UnityPoint Health MeriterFrancisco, Margo SSM Health WisconsinHafeman, Paula HSHS - Eastern Wisconsin DivisionHoelter, Jon Wisconsin Hospital AssociationKaufman, Mark Wisconsin Hospital AssociationLeitch, Laura Wisconsin Hospital AssociationLewis, Gordon Burnett Medical CenterLindberg, Steve Mayo Clinic Health System - Red CedarMarquardt, Amy Froedtert & The Medical College of WisconsinMueller, Jennifer WHA Information CenterPollard, Dennis Froedtert HealthRohrbach, Dan Southwest Health Rose, Laura Wisconsin Hospital AssociationRozenfeld, Jonathan SSM Health - St. Mary’s HospitalSexton, William Crossing Rivers Health Medical CenterTurner, Scott Children’s Hospital of WisconsinVan Meeteren, Bob Reedsburg Area Medical CenterVandenhouten, Peter Bellin Health

Contributors $1,000 to $1,499

Andrabi, Imran ThedaCareBergmann, Michael Aurora Medical Center - SummitDeGroot, Dan SSM Stoughton Hospital AssociationEdwards, Gordon Marshfield ClinicGisi, Dale ThedaCareGustafson, Andrew & Sara UW HealthHilt, Monica Ascension St. Elizabeth HospitalJacobson, Terry Essentia Health St. Mary’s Hospital - SuperiorKeddington, Richard Watertown Regional Medical CenterKulick, Steven Marshfield Clinic Health SystemLevin, Jeremy Rural Wisconsin Health CooperativeLund, Maggie ThedaCare Regional Medical Center- AppletonMcLean, Hal ThedaCarePunzenberger, Lindsay Children’s Hospital of WisconsinRobaidek, Jay UW HealthSanders, Michael SSM Health - MadisonSchafer, Michael Spooner Health SystemThompson, Mark L. ThedaCare Regional Medical Center - Appleton

Contributors $500 to $999

Aulik, Juli UW HealthBloch, Jodi Children’s Hospital of WisconsinBoese, Jennifer CliftonLarsonAllen, LLPBolt, Elizabeth UW HealthBrenton, Andrew Wisconsin Hospital AssociationBudd, Aaron SSM - St. Mary’s Hospital - JanesvilleChilders, David UnityPoint Health MeriterClevidence, Derek UnityPoint Health MeriterCollins, Sherry Wisconsin Hospital AssociationCollins, Susan Froedtert HealthCox, Sharon Beloit Health SystemCurran-Meuli, Jane Holy Family Memorial, Inc.Dexter, Donn Mayo Clinic Health System - Eau ClaireFrank, Jennifer Wisconsin Hospital AssociationHartberg, David Gundersen - Boscobel Area Hospital and ClinicsHorvath, Joanne ThedaCareJensema, Christine HSHS - Easern Wisconsin DivisionKerk, Julie Froedtert HealthKocourek, Cathie Advocate Aurora HealthLarson, Leigh Ann Wisconsin Hospital AssociationLarson, Margaret Ascension Mercy HospitalLogemann, Cari Aspirus, Inc.Lux, Teresa Froedtert & MCW Community Memorial Hospital CampusMarquis, Stephanie Wisconsin Hospital AssociationMcNally, Maureen Froedtert & The Medical College of WisconsinNelson, James Fort HealthCareNorell, Brett Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity sponsoredPeterson, Doug AdventHealth DurandRichardson, Todd Aspirus, Inc.Roesler, Bruce The Richland HospitalSczygelski, Sidney Aspirus, Inc.Shorter, Tom Godfrey & Kahn, SCSprecher, Lon ConsultantStatsick, Nora Wisconsin Hospital AssociationStulac Motzel, Wendy Froedtert HealthThompson, Mark SSM HealthTurney, Susan Marshfield Clinic Health SystemVoelker, Thomas Aspirus Riverview Hospital & ClinicsWaldoch, Timothy Ascension WisconsinWilliams, Janice WHA Information Center

Contributors $1 to $499

Albin, James ThedaCareAnderson, Eric Aspirus, Inc.Arnett, James UnityPoint Health MeriterBalzer, John Froedtert & The Medical College of WisconsinBarakeh, Romeo Ascension St. Michael’s HospitalBayer, Tom HSHS St. Vincent HospitalBengtson, Carolyn Mercyhealth Hospital & Medical Center - WalworthBenning, Joanna Mercyhealth Hospital & Medical Center - WalworthBorchert, Barry Reedsburg Area Medical CenterBrenner, Holly SSM Health - St. Agnes Hospital

Political Action Fundraising Campaign Contributors

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Busch, Rebecca Spooner Health SystemByrne, Frank SSM - St. Mary’s HospitalCliffe, Elizabeth Ascension WisconsinCompetente, Brian WHA Information CenterCopas, Roberta Marshfield Medical Center - LadysmithCulotta, Jennifer SSM - St. Clare Hospital & Health ServicesDecker, Michael Divine Savior HealthcareDettman, Amy Bellin HospitalDunphy-Alexander, Shannon MercyhealthDux, Larry Froedtert & MCW Community Memorial Hosp. CampusFleuette, Laurie Wisconsin Hospital AssociationFranzen, Kimberly HSHS - St. Vincent HospitalFroemming, Lisa Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital - MilwaukeeGaribaldi, Isabelle Watertown Regional Medical CenterGoelzer, Mark Mercyhealth Hospital & Trauma Center - JanesvilleHall, Jennifer Mercyhealth Hospital & Trauma Center - JanesvilleHallatt, Jennifer Mercyhealth Hospital & Medical Center - WalworthHarris, Kathleen Mercyhealth Hospital & Trauma Center - JanesvilleHermel, Cindy Aspirus Wausau HospitalJensen, Tom Mercyhealth Hospital & Medical Center - WalworthKelsey Foley, Kathy Aspirus, Inc.Koebke, Troy Bellin HealthLally, David HSHS St. Clare Memorial HospitalLee, Don Ascension WisconsinLippert, Michele Mercyhealth Hospital & Trauma Center - JanesvilleLoy, Michael North Central Health CareLuehring, Sally HSHS - St. Vincent HospitalLuskin, Ronald SSM - St. Mary’s HospitalLynch, Sue Mayo Clinic Health System - Franciscan Healthcare

(Political Action Fundraising Campaign Contributors . . . continued from page 3)

McCawley, Thomas Beloit Health SystemMolaska, Jan Aspirus Wausau HospitalNemeth, James MercyhealthNeve, Randy Marshfield ClinicNevers, Rick Aspirus, Inc.Page, Alison Western Wisconsin HealthPeiffer, Susan HSHS Sacred Heart HospitalPeirick, Marcie Watertown Regional Medical CenterPempek, Kalynn Aspirus, Inc.Potempa, Debra Mercyhealth Hospital & Trauma Center - JanesvillePrah, Joel Mercyhealth Hospital & Medical Center - WalworthRisley-Gray, Ruth Aspirus, Inc.Roundy, Ann Columbus Community HospitalRude, Nels The Kammer GroupSchrieber, Sue Mercyhealth Hospital & Trauma Center - JanesvilleSelvick, Carl Fort HealthCareShrader, Jay Marshfield Medical CenterSkibba, Lisa Aspirus, Inc.Smith, Robert Aspirus Wausau HospitalStamas, Peter Ascension St. Clare’s HospitalStelzer, Jason SSM - St. Clare Hospital & Health ServicesStephens, Brian HSHS - Door County Medical CenterStrasser, Kathy River Valley BankUdy, Ladd MercyhealthWalker, Troy SSM - St. Clare Hospital & Health ServicesWalters, Robert Mercyhealth Hospital & Medical Center - WalworthWilson, Lynn HSHS - St. Mary’s Hospital Medical CenterWysocki, Scott SSM - St. Clare Hospital & Health ServicesYarbrough, Ruth Mercyhealth Hospital & Medical Center - Walworth

Board members engaged in detailed discussions about WHA’s mission, vision, values and strategic goals. Members discussed the ever-broadening range of responsibilities and requirements aimed at hospitals and health systems, and whether these changing dynamics should be reflected in the organization’s mission and vision. Ultimately, Board members agreed the key to WHA’s advocacy success is maintaining a disciplined focus, while ensuring that all parts of the health care system, including state and local governments, fulfill their responsibilities and are a part of future strategies and solutions.

“WHA’s top priority is delivering value to our members and doing our part to improve the health of our state through our advocacy work,” Borgerding said. “In this rapidly changing environment, we will continue to strategically position WHA to be relevant and impactful for our members as they strive to fulfill their missions and improve the health of their communities and the state.”

When they look to the future, WHA members consistently identify three areas as top concerns:

1. Government health care programs like Medicaid and Medicare;2. The health care workforce shortage; and,3. The stability of the health insurance market.

With that in mind, WHA was pleased to welcome Department of Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman, Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) Commissioner Mark Afable, and Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk for a panel format dialogue with the Board. Each outlined the respective vision for their state agencies and highlighted synergies with WHA and the Wisconsin health care industry.

Frostman covered a number of topics, including “quality communities” as a key economic development tool and noted a range of workforce programs relevant to health care training and recruitment. Willems Van Dijk highlighted the importance of funding, coverage, reimbursement and innovation in the Medicaid program and the role of WHA and its members as leaders in the transformation of health care. Afable highlighted OCI’s and the Legislature’s work to stabilize the insurance market and improve

(WHA’s Strategic Plan and Future Advocacy Priorities Focus of Annual Board Retreat . . . continued from page 1)

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Leaders from DHS, DWD and OCI engage in a dialogue with the WHA Board

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enrollment in both Medicaid and the ACA marketplace. He also discussed more timely issues, including surprise billing.

Dr. Mark Kaufman, WHA Chief Medical Officer, presented WHA’s physician engagement strategy, collecting valuable feedback from Board members. Dr. Kaufman provided an overview of WHA’s historical work on this topic, indicating future efforts will focus on physician leadership development, education, enhancing the Physician Leaders Council and advocacy.

Finally, the Board reviewed its Self-Evaluation survey. WHA continues to perform at a very high level, providing a multi-faceted return on investment for members. Board members commented on WHA’s ability to influence policy and produce results, saying members could not fulfill their mission without WHA.

“WHA members are fortunate to be represented by the excellent staff and resources at our disposal,” said Meyer. “This retreat was another great example of the quality and influence of WHA as an organization.”

WHA staff will spend the next several weeks digesting the many takeaways from the retreat, using the information to help craft and guide 2020 annual goals, as well as the 2020-22 update of the strategic plan. The new strategic plan will be presented at the October Board meeting.

“Our members are crucial in the development of WHA’s strategic goals,” Borgerding said. “The thoughtful and insightful feedback we received at the retreat provides excellent guidance as we rewrite our strategic plan.”

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(WHA’s Strategic Plan and Future Advocacy Priorities Focus of Annual Board Retreat . . . continued from page 4)

Breakout sessions at WHA’s 2019 Board Retreat