Valued Voice

Attendees of the eighth annual WHA Post-acute Care Seminar held virtually on Aug. 6 learned about innovative care models organizations in Wisconsin. The attendees also heard a panel of hospital leaders discuss key practices and the actions they are taking to support their patients through securing appropriate post-acute care services.
 
Froedtert Health’s Diane Ehn, vice president of post-acute care, and Dr. Vipan Nikore, co-founder and chief executive officer of Homecare Hub, discussed complex patient placement challenges, their partnership, the Homecare Hub model and process, the results and benefits they are seeing, and lessons learned. Dr. Nikore described Homecare Hub’s custom network creation and provided an overview of the technology that supports the participants.
 
SSM Health panelists discussed a new service the organization is offering to appropriate patients in their Madison market called Recovery Care at Home. Panelists, including Kyle Nondorf, Wisconsin regional vice president for acute care; Diana Norrenberns, director for digital health operations; Dr. James Lehman, clinical program medical director of hospitalist services; Amy Lillge, vice president of operations for continuum of care; and Ben Van Pelt, Wisconsin regional director for government affairs, discussed the model, their partnership with Inbound Health, preliminary outcomes, what they have learned and next steps.
 
The program concluded with Cassie Stremer, post-acute care team leader, Bellin Health, and Diane Ehn, Froedtert Health, moderating a panel of hospital leaders working to improve care transitions for hospital patients. The panel included Sarah Becker, social services director for Advocate Aurora Health in Wisconsin; Katie Fisher, case manager at St. Mary’s of Superior, Essentia Health; Mandi Pericak, clinical operations director, Gundersen Health System; and Jody Weisse, utilization and case management team leader, BellinHealth. The panel discussed a variety of topics, including their top challenges, the evolution of care and the barriers to innovation, and some of the actions their organizations are taking to help ensure the patient is receiving the right care in the right place at the right time.
 
For a listing of all upcoming educational events, visit the WHA Education Calendar here.