The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP and Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC) are happy to announce the winners of their fifth annual joint Community Engagement Award. The $2,500 grant for the best example of a rural hospital engaging in joint efforts with the local community is awarded this year to Door County Medical Center in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. for its admirable partnership with the local technical college to facilitate nursing assistant training for high school students. 
 
RWHC is a cooperative of 41 rural acute, general medical-surgical hospitals throughout Wisconsin. The award recognizes two RWHC Member Hospitals demonstrating excellence in strengthening community health and wellness partnerships. Past honorees include Fort HealthCare, Southwest Health Center, Columbus Community Hospital, Sauk Prairie Healthcare, Edgerton Hospital & Health Systems, and Mile Bluff Medical Center.
 
"Collaboration and innovation are at the heart of our mission," said Tim Size, executive director of RWHC. "We are privileged to be able to highlight the impressive initiatives our member hospitals are undertaking to improve the health of their communities."
 
Door County Medical Center (DCMC) was recognized for its partnership with Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) to proactively build the area's workforce and highlight local career options. The goal was to improve upon the program that NWTC already had in place with local high schools. Enhancements included a Skills Lab, and DCMC nursing instructor Renee Glesner RN, MSN, who created a program between NWTC and DCMC consisting of a course that is offered as part of each high schools' daily curriculum. Eligible high school juniors and seniors can take the Nursing Assistant Course, which is taught by NWTC faculty with classroom, lab, and clinical portions offered at DCMC. Since the program's inception, nursing assistant enrollments at NWTC have increased dramatically; 242 high school students have completed the course, with 175 still needing testing. Students have one year to be tested. 

“I am proud of Renee’s ability to identify opportunities and gather the right parties in order to establish a solution.  She is very community minded, ensuring that DCMC is helping to remove barriers and strengthen our workforce and community,” according to DCMC Chief Nursing Officer, Christa A. Krause, RN MSN, MHA CPHQ.

Sarah Coyne, a partner with Quarles & Brady and a member of the Health Law Group in the firm's Madison office, has a longstanding relationship with RWHC and many of its member hospitals, and is delighted to partner with RWHC to offer this recognition for community engagement. "We look forward to this award announcement every year. It is heartwarming to see the amazing community engagement efforts from rural Wisconsin hospitals year after year. Quarles & Brady is very proud to support such a worthwhile initiative."

About Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC)
Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC), headquartered in Sauk City, Wis., has been providing affordable and effective services to healthcare organizations since 1979. RWHC is owned and operated by 41 rural acute, general medical-surgical hospitals. The Cooperative's emphasis on developing a collaborative network among both freestanding and system-affiliated rural hospitals distinguishes itself from alternative approaches. RWHC offers a variety of programs and services to its members, as well as other clients across the nation.
 
About Quarles & Brady LLP 
Quarles & Brady is a full-service AmLaw 200 firm with 500 attorneys offering an array of legal services to corporate and individual clients that range from small entrepreneurial businesses to Fortune 100 companies, with practice focuses in health care and life sciences, business law, labor and employment, real estate, intellectual property, data privacy and security, and complex litigation. The firm has offices in Chicago; Indianapolis; Madison; Milwaukee; Minneapolis; Naples, Florida; Phoenix; Tampa; Tucson; and Washington, DC. Additional information can be found online at quarles.com, as well as on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.