Rural Health Summit Press Release

April 2009

 I want to thank everyone who was able to take time out of their busy schedules to attend the Rural Health Summit on April 22.  The Summit was held at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, with 109 people in attendance!  What a wonderful turnout!  We had representation from all healthcare sectors:  Rural/Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Community Health Centers, EMS, Long Term Care, Public Health and Oral Health. 

Each sector was given the opportunity to meet together with other like-providers, with the goal of identifying the top issues affecting each of their respective sectors.  Data from those sessions were compiled, and all sectors worked tighter to identify the top issues facing the Rural Healthcare System as a whole. 

The end result of the Rural Health Summit will be a final report to be presented to Wisconsin Legislators.  This will be an important first step toward not only identifying the issues, but working toward potential solutions.  Your participation in the Summit will go a long way in bringing these issues to light and educating our legislators on the challenges we face as rural healthcare providers.  As soon as the final report is completed, it will be made available.  The report will include the top issues identified by each sector, as well as the top issues affecting the rural healthcare system as a whole.

A special thank you to Representative Jon Richards, who took time out of his schedule to join us.  Representative Richards presented updates on current healthcare legislation, talked about rural health issues facing the State, and fielded questions from the audience.

Kathryn Miller, Rural Hospitals & Clinics Program Manager