Valued Voice

Approximately 1,100 health care leaders, providers, hospital staff, trustees, and volunteers traveled from across Wisconsin yesterday to Madison to participate in the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s (WHA) annual Advocacy Day, held at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. Before meeting with lawmakers, attendees gathered to hear from POLITICO Politics Bureau Chief and Senior Political Columnist Jonathan Martin, author of This Will Not Pass, who delivered the event’s keynote address.

Jonathan Martin and WHA President & CEO Kyle O’Brien.

Participants also heard remarks from a bipartisan legislative panel featuring Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester), Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg), Senate Democratic Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton), and Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair Lisa Subeck (D-Madison). Legislative leaders discussed and debated several policy issues including the most recently enacted state budget, coverage expansion, medical liability and workforce.

Pictured L to R: President and CEO, Door County Medical Center and WHA Board Chair, Brian Stephens; Sen. Dianne Hesselbein; Rep. Lisa Subeck; Speaker Robin Vos; Sen. Devin LeMahieu; and WHA President & CEO Kyle O’Brien. 

During the afternoon, staff from over two dozen Wisconsin hospitals presented quality improvement initiatives in the Capitol Rotunda. The WHA Health Care Quality Showcase offered legislators, hospital staff, leadership, and the public the opportunity to engage with the dedicated staff that are leading initiatives across the state that advance patient care at Wisconsin hospitals. From bolstering quality and safety to enhancing accessibility and value, attendees heard about the transformative strides being made every day by these health care professionals. These efforts help Wisconsin maintain its position as one of the highest quality health care states in the country.

“Advocacy Day represents the strength of Wisconsin’s hospitals coming together with one unified voice,” said Kyle O’Brien, WHA President and CEO. “When 1,100 hospital advocates take time out of their busy schedules to travel to Madison and meet with their legislators, it sends a powerful message: hospitals are essential to Wisconsin communities and we need state policies that support the care they provide.”

Approximately 1,100 grassroots advocates attend WHA’s Advocacy Day on Feb. 25, 2026.

Attendees also had the opportunity to meet with their state legislators, conducting more than 600 legislative visits to provide specific examples of how hospitals are providing access to high-quality health care in Wisconsin communities. Discussions focused on thanking lawmakers for their support of hospitals in the last State Budget, policy solutions to support Wisconsin’s health care workforce, and asking for their support of Next-of-Kin Legislation (AB 598 and SB 578).

For more information about the WHA and its work, visit wha.org.