May 1, 2026

Hospital Highlights!

Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals

Amery Hospital & Clinic and River Falls Area Hospital placed in the National Rural Health Association's 2026 Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals!

Best Practice in Quality

Emplify Health by Gundersen Moundview Hospital in Friendship is in the top 20 Best Practice in Quality category for Critical Access Hospitals!

Quality Corner

2025 National CAH Quality Inventory & Assessment Report

This National Report from the 2025 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment provides a high-level summary of data collected during Fall 2025.

Thank you to the 50 out of 58 CAHs that participated to represent Wisconsin with an 86% response rate! Data from this assessment provides us with valuable insight to create relevant programming for the hospitals in our state.

NHSN AU Option 2023 SAAR Rebaseline: Information for Critical Access Hospitals - webinar

Wednesday, May 13, 1 - 2p.m.

• The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Antimicrobial Use (AU) Option has released updates to its risk-adjustment methodology with the 2023 SAAR (Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratio) rebaseline.
• This webinar is specifically designed for CAHs and will provide a comprehensive overview of these important updates.

Happy early National Nurse's Week!

May 6 - 12



Honoring nurses' vital contributions and the Power of Nurses! Thank you for all you do!

SHIP Grant

Questions about invoicing?

Pop into this open office hour to get your questions answered live with Samantha Peck and Megan Polster.

Friday, May 15, 11:00 a.m.

Invoicing tips

• Reference this Example SHIP Invoice for instructions on completing the invoice.
• The Purchase Order (P.O.) Number is found in the first line of your Funding Award Agreement with UW Madison and appears as #CON-0000xxxx.
• Email invoices for HCAHPS and other pre-approved expenses* directly to the UW's Research and Sponsored Programs team for reimbursement using the invoice template below.

*SHIP expenses

Hospitals that selected the direct funding option must use their funds for purchasing HCAHPS first. Any leftover funding can be used for other pre-approved expenses discussed with Samantha Peck.

Learn

Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs - webinar

Monday, May 4, 2:00 p.m.

• This webinar, hosted by the Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) and presented by Stroudwater, will highlight practical strategies to help rural hospitals assess and strengthen the financial sustainability of Labor & Delivery services. 
• Highlighting key insights from the Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs brief, this session will cover approaches to improving how costs are tracked and reported, understanding the financial performance of Labor & Delivery services, and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and partnerships.

Surgical Collaborative of Wisconsin's 2026 Annual Meeting - CMEs available

Saturday, May 16, 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

• Join surgeons and quality leaders from across Wisconsin for a day of learning, discussion of challenging cases, and sharing innovative approaches to patient care.
• Location: Glacier Canyon Lodge, Wisconsin Dells.
• Cost: Registration is FREE and includes all meals on Saturday.

Rheumatology Training Opportunity - Orion Initiative

8 sites available

• Through Specialty Training at Rural Sites-Rheumatology (STARS-R), PCPs receive on-site, no cost, hands-on rheumatology and musculoskeletal training, delivered by UW academic rheumatologists.
• Grant funds reimburse rural hospitals for PCP time spent training, equipment, and implementation costs.
• Simple, straightforward application process. To learn more, contact Jennifer Stegall.

"The Magic of Spring" in Memorial Forest photographed by Kristine McGarigle in Merrill.

Grants

General Grant Program - Coverys Community Healthcare Foundation

• Amount: $50,000 to $60,000.
• Application due date: May 12.
• Who can apply: Eligible organizations include but are not limited to nonprofit and for-profit organizations, healthcare facilities, academic institutions, and physician organizations. Preference given to applicants in communities that Coverys serves.
• Description: Funding for projects to improve patient care and safety, advance patient health outcomes, improve chronic disease management, or support healthcare professionals and organizations.

Community Grants - Alliant Energy

• Amount: Not stated but past grants range from $250 to $2,000.
• Application due date: Deadlines throughout the year, the next is May 15.
• Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations, charitable programs, and government entities in communities served by Alliant Energy.
• Description: Grants for programs that address hunger, housing, transportation, outdoor activities, and fund first responder equipment, among other areas.

NEW! Community Grants - Prevent Cancer Foundation

• Amount: $50,000 x two years.
• Application due date: May 20.
• Who can apply: Rural non-profit organizations, government and public agencies, Tribal organizations, and social and fraternal organizations with operating budgets between $1 million and $8 million.
• Description: Projects focused on cancer prevention, including cancer screenings, vaccinations, and patient navigation, with broad community support.

Safe Streets and Roads for All - U.S. Department of Transportation

• Amount: $100,000-$25M; 20% match required.
• Application due date: May 26.
• Who can apply: Municipal and tribal governments and planning organizations.
• Description: Funding to support planning, infrastructure, and behavioral and operational initiatives to prevent fatalities and serious injuries on roads and streets involving all roadway users. Both planning and implementation funding is available.

NEW! Emergency Response Equipment Grant - Compeer Financial

• Amount: Up to $7,500.
• Application due date: May 31.
• Who can apply: Rural volunteer fire, rescue, and ambulance departments located within the Compeer Financial Service Area.
• Description: Grants for essential response and responder safety equipment.

Seeds for Stewardship Grants - CHS

• Amount: $1,000-$10,000.
• Application due date: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis; can apply for and receive two grants/year.
• Who can apply: Any member-cooperative, such as Cenex, or CHS ag retail location is eligible to apply. Grant requests must be submitted by a cooperative on behalf of a local organization.
• Description: Grants for projects that strengthen communities. Project examples include health and safety education programs students. equipment for emergency responders, and grain bin safety equipment and training.

Please contact Kevin Jacobson, WORH Loan Assistance Program Manager, for help identifying grant opportunities to support your important work or go to the WORH website.

Review

NEW! Real-world Evidence to Advance Community Health (REACH) Program - DHS & UW Madison

• The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is leading a three-year (2024–2027) CDC-funded community biomonitoring project to improve their understanding of how rural residents in Wisconsin are exposed to (or are in contact with) metals, pesticides, and nitrate.
• This project is taking place among rural communities with a higher chance of exposure to groundwater contaminants that rely on private wells for drinking water.

NEW! Collaborating for Transportation Access in Rural Communities

• With the help of the nonprofit Feonix — Mobility Rising, Waupaca County Catch a Ride in Wisconsin and the Transportation Rx program in South Texas are working to improve transportation in their rural communities and thus increase people's access to employment, healthcare, food, and other needs.

Apply for Awards

NEW! Maude's Awards for Innovation in Alzheimer's Care

• Application Deadline: May 19.
• Offers a monetary award for organizations and individuals excelling in care for persons living with dementia.
• Geographic coverage: Nationwide.

NEW! Rural Hospital Excellence in Innovation Award - American Hospital Association

• Application Deadline: June 23.
• Award that honors the accomplishments of rural hospitals that demonstrate responsiveness, innovation, and excellence in developing, implementing, and sustaining programs and services.
• Geographic coverage: Nationwide.

Photo Features

Send us your pictures of rural Wisconsin life to be featured in Rural Health Radar!

Email pictures to Megan and include a brief description, where the photo was taken, and the name of the photographer.

Morels photographed by Richard T Grybos in Cassville.

Looking for past issues of Rural Health Radar? Perhaps you saw something important, and need a reminder of the registration or application deadline? We've got your back. See past issues on our website near the newsletter sign-up section.

Your feedback on this newsletter and our overall communication efforts are always welcome, too.