THE VALUED VOICE

WHA awarded its 2022 Advocacy All-Star Award to Advocate Aurora Health at this year’s Advocacy Day event on March 23. The annual award recognizes one hospital or health care system for its exemplary dedication to grassroots advocacy on behalf of the state’s health care providers and in partnership with WHA.
 
“Advocate Aurora Health has been an outstanding advocacy partner with WHA. Members of the Advocate Aurora team are always willing to step up to discuss important issues,” said WHA President and CEO Eric Borgerding. “Their longstanding and ongoing level of commitment to advocacy supports all our state’s hospitals,” Borgerding added.

Advocate Aurora President and CEO Jim Skogsbergh accepted the award in a recorded segment broadcast to nearly 1,000 hospital supporters in attendance at Advocacy Day.
 
“We’ve all seen how discussions and debates—whether that be in Madison or Washington, D.C.—directly impact the care that we’re providing to our patients,” said Skogsbergh. “You, WHA, pull us all together, and the stakes are way too high to sit on the sidelines, particularly when navigating the global pandemic,” Skogsbergh continued.
 
Skogsbergh added, “Thank you for honoring Advocate Aurora Health with this prestigious award. We promise we’ll continue to work hard to merit this award in the weeks and months ahead.”
 
Advocate Aurora Health actively participates on WHA’s board of directors, councils and work groups, attends both virtual and in-person advocacy events and engages directly with state and federal lawmakers in their districts. The health system has also shown strong growth in the number of new members to the Hospital Education and Advocacy Team (HEAT) network, a statewide initiative designed to facilitate grassroots involvement on state and federal issues that impact Wisconsin hospitals.