Tomah Health Joins 700 Advocates for WHA Advocacy Day

Tomah Health CEO Derek Daly, left, Chief Nursing Officer Tracy Myhre, Women’s Health Director Carrie Lord and Marketing Director Eric Prise joined more than 700 health care advocates from across Wisconsin to learn about health care issues facing Wisconsin and to speak with elected state officials at the WHA’s Advocacy Day

Tomah Health joined more than 700 health care leaders, providers, hospital staff, and trustees from across Wisconsin to participate in the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s (WHA) annual Advocacy Day March 20.

Attendees heard from AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack, who traveled to Madison from Washington, D. C. for the event’s keynote portion, a discussion moderated by WHA President and CEO Eric Borgerding. Participants also heard remarks by Gov. Tony Evers and a bipartisan legislative panel with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester), Minority Leader Rep. Greta Neubauer (D-Racine), Majority Leader Sen. Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) and Minority Leader Sen. Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton).

Following the general programming, Tomah Health advocates met with state lawmakers and staff in the State Capitol to participate in discussions addressing threats to the hospital safety net and the workforce shortage. “WHA’s Advocacy Day is a golden opportunity to showcase the importance of hospitals like Tomah Health,” said Tomah Health marketing director Eric Prise. “Tomah Health was proud to stand alongside the hundreds of other hospital supporters from across Wisconsin to remind lawmakers that hospitals are vital to the strength of our state’s communities, and that we must support hospitals the way hospitals support our communities,” said Prise.

WHA Quality Director Jill Lindwall, left, congratulated Tomah Health Acute Care Director Jessye Buswell, Acute Care Coordinator Kelly Sutherland, Acute Care registered nurse Mary Lane-Peot, Acute Care ambulation aide & certified nursing assistant Vicki Gonzales during the WHA Health Care Quality Showcase March 20 at the Capitol in Madison.

Attendees also visited the Capitol Rotunda to participate in the Health Care Quality Showcase, celebrating the highlighted improvements made at Wisconsin hospitals this year. This event offered legislators, hospital staff and leadership, and the public the opportunity to engage with the dedicated staff behind enhanced patient care at WHA member hospitals. Tomah Health was among 23 facilities featured at the showcase, highlighting the remarkable work being done to enhance patient care every day.

Last month, Tomah Health received the inaugural 2024 WHA Excellence in Health Care Quality and Patient Safety award for participation in the WHA MOVIN’ program. “The WHA MOVIN’ program certainly has made a difference for our staff and patients,” said Tomah Health Acute Care director Jessye Buswell. “We know that progressive ambulation is important because it can prevent in hospital decompensation. It can reduce weakness related readmissions, prevent falls and it can also potentially reduce the need for discharge to a skilled nursing facility. We are excited to practice prevention health care on the inpatient unit,” Buswell said of the program which was implemented at Tomah Health in May.