Tomah Health Acute Care Director Jessye Buswell is among a select group of health care professionals in Wisconsin recognized for making a significant contribution to rural health and the local community. Buswell received the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative’s (RWHC) Rural Health Ambassador Award during a ceremony at Tomah Health May 12 as part of the hospital’s recognition of National Hospital Week.
“Our Rural Health Ambassador Award is a great way to recognize the work that employees do within their community and how that benefits the image of rural health care,” said Jeremy Levin, Director of Advocacy for the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, who presented the award. He said nearly 30 people across the state will receive the cooperative’s award this year.
Buswell has been employed at Tomah Health for nearly 10 years and became the director of Acute Care Services in 2019. In addition to her daily hospital responsibilities, Jessye has been active in facilitating the local School-to-Work program for students training to be certified nursing assistants or CNA’s. She has expanded this partnership to both the Tomah and Sparta schools. “It’s quite a pleasure to be recognized because I do think it’s incredibly important to keep replenishing our nurses by teaching new people interested in the healthcare field to get into nursing,” Buswell said of the recognition. Jessye is also the chair of the Tomah Health Nurse Practice council, which sets the stage for nursing responsibilities and roles at Tomah Health.
Jessye said her 16 years of service in the U.S. Coast Guard also reflects how she leads others. “Modeling leadership after some of the people that I respect the most in the military means a lot to me personally. I often recall this motto ‘Be great at home so you can be good at work’, as I try to lead this way and ensure that I am caring for our staff so they can perform their job well,” Buswell said after receiving the highly regarded Maj. Richard I. Bong Award in 2023. The Milwaukee Armed Services Committee presents the Maj. Richard I. Bong award annually to Wisconsin service members who have displayed outstanding traits of leadership and professionalism through their contributions to their Guard or Reserve military unit and to the community.
Incorporated in 1979, RWHC receives national recognition as one of the country’s earliest and most successful models for networking among rural hospitals. RWHC serves as a catalyst for regional collaboration and as an influential and creative force on behalf of rural communities and rural health.
Owned and operated by 40 acute, medical-surgical hospitals, including Tomah Health, RWHC offers its members a wide range of shared services that meet local community health needs, including staffing, consulting, management, networking and education.