(PODCAST - Mid-West Farm Report) Wisconsin rural hospitals, clinics and nursing homes all struggled during the pandemic and continue to battle today. Pam Jahnke talks to Tim Size, executive director of the Wisconsin Rural Health Cooperative. He says it will require a "Marshall Plan" type effort to recruit the amount of trained staff rural communities need in health care.

The purpose in our life is our why. What is important to us? What are we meant to do? How are we supposed to be impacting the world? Our heart knows the path. Unfortunately, our brain gets in the way. Part of the journey to refueling our heart is always staying connected to our why. The place that is meant for us and for our intrinsic gifts to come forward to impact the world in the way that only we can.

This issue includes: The Need for Optimism, Post-COVID Bi-Partisan Rural Health Policy, Community Benefits of “Aging in Place”, 2022 National County Health Rankings, 2022 Wipfli-RWHC Cost Champions Awards, Economic Development for Health Care Leaders, The Rural Wisconsin Chronic Disease Toolkit, Leadership Insights: “Culver’s Leadership”, Upcoming RWHC Leadership Programs, 30th Annual $2,500 Monato Essay Prize Accepting Submissions, Support the RWHC Healthy Wisconsin Foundation, Eye on Health Cartoons

My office is in Culver’s home town. This place does an amazing business, and it’s not just about the sweet, creamy custard. I heard Lea Culver speak recently at the Sauk County Institute for Leadership, and the pearls of wisdom she shared about their family business journey line up pretty well with leading rural healthcare.

A one page overview of RWHC.

The choices you make today impact your tomorrows. Humans make a 1000 choices or more in a day. Unfortunately, many of these choices are made on your brain’s automatic pilot. Now is the time to become more intentional with your choices.

This issue includes: Health Workforce: From Frying Pan into Fire, Managing Polarization–Part I, Managing Polarization–Part II, True Stories from Wisconsin Leaders, Leadership Insights: “Identity: Delegator”, Upcoming RWHC Leadership Programs, 30th Annual $2,500 Monato Essay Prize Accepting Submissions, Support the RWHC Healthy Wisconsin Foundation, Eye on Health Cartoons

If you avoid delegation for any reason, (you can do it quicker and better yourself, last time they didn’t come through for you, it takes too much effort, you don’t want to burden them because they are busy, etc.), it could be time to make a change. Let the word DELEGATOR itself help keep you on track.

This issue includes: Healthcare’s Silver Tsunami Has Begun, The Art of Medicine, Building Individual Resilience, Leadership Insights: “Don’t Go!”, Upcoming RWHC Leadership Programs, 30th Annual $2,500 Monato Essay Prize Accepting Submissions, Support the RWHC Healthy Wisconsin Foundation, Eye on Health Cartoons

(Episode 13) Are you a leader in healthcare faced with the challenge of addressing important issues around social determinants of health within the communities you serve? In today’s episode, our host Janet Schulz discusses some non-healthcare topics with the Rural Wisconsin Healthcare Cooperative (RWHC) Director of Economic Development, Marie Barry. Born out of a need to create synergies between rural hospitals and rural communities, the RWHC launched a formal Community Economic Development program in 2021 and has experienced some early success in developing solutions around broadband, transportation, childcare, and housing issues, to name a few. Marie explains how the program acts as a “bridge” between the hospital and community, and works to insure that diverse representation is at th...

(Ask your lawmakers to make threats against health care workers a felony in WI) -- Threats and acts of violence on health care providers are on the rise. Now you can do something about it by advocating for a law that will make threats against health care workers a felony in Wisconsin.

Keep an eye out for an article I'm writing for ACHE's (American College of Healthcare Executives) Frontiers of Health Service Management (Consider joining if you haven’t!). The summer issue features actions organizations are taking to address workforce challenges. In it I will highlight six RWHC Member hospitals who are doing everything they can to attract and keep great people. These organizational efforts matter, and the crisis is real.

This issue includes: Whose Business to Worry About Rural Health?, Pandemic Staffing–The New Normal?, “Let Us Not Forget the Caregivers”, Communities Need Community, Leadership Insights: “Remotely Recognized”, Upcoming RWHC Leadership Programs, 30th Annual $2,500 Monato Essay Prize Accepting Submissions, Support the RWHC Healthy Wisconsin Foundation, Eye on Health Cartoons