THE VALUED VOICE

Since being launched in early April, WHA’s COVID-19 dashboard has been a go-to source for robust, up-to-date information about the pandemic’s spread in Wisconsin and how it impacts the state’s health care system. In just five months the dashboard has been accessed more than 500,000 times – showing how the resource has been an important destination for the public, the media and policymakers to better understand COVID-19 in Wisconsin and how it impacts hospital capacity.
 
“WHA’s hospital and health system members understand how the latest facts and data are so important – not just for understanding the overall effects of something like the COVID-19 pandemic, but also for helping inform future decision-making,” WHA President and CEO Eric Borgerding said. “That the site has been accessed so often also shows that people want clear, unbiased information about the pandemic, and that they care about how hospitals and health systems can continue to be available for their health care needs.”
 
The dashboard, populated with information received by the state’s seven Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalitions (HERCs) and case- and testing-related data from Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services, also displays trends such as daily positive COVID-19 test results and the amount of important medical equipment – like ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) – are available at hospitals. The dashboard is also interactive, with the ability to display both statewide data and those of individual HERCs.