National Rural Health Day

Celebrating the Power of Rural!

We're excited to announce that Mile Bluff Medical Center has earned the 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Outcomes! This prestigious award, compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, recognizes hospitals that demonstrate top-tier performance in delivering exceptional care to the communities they serve. We are one of only 21 rural Wisconsin hospitals to receive this recognition, and we couldn't be more proud!

As part of National Rural Health Day, Mile Bluff Medical Center is excited to announce that it has earned the 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Outcomes. This prestigious award, compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, recognizes hospitals that demonstrate top-tier performance in delivering exceptional care to the communities they serve. Mile Bluff is one of only 21 rural Wisconsin hospitals to receive this recognition.

"Serving a rural community is very rewarding," stated Sabrina Mortenson, OB RN. "We have the luxury of taking care of friends and family on a regular basis. The people you see at the grocery store or at school when you drop off your kids are the same people we work with and care for every day. In OB, we have the pleasure of caring for the same families through multiple pregnancies and even generations, which allows us to truly get to know our patients on a personal level. Rural communities offer a tight-knit, family-oriented atmosphere, which we embody in the care we provide. Treating patients like family makes a real difference."

The Performance Leadership Awards are based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®, a comprehensive and objective framework for assessing how rural hospitals are performing. INDEX benchmarks are relied upon by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health to measure performance across multiple areas impacting hospital operations and finance.

“The Performance Leadership Awards capture the commitment, diligence, and innovation with which America’s rural hospitals approach the delivery of care within their communities,” said Troy Brown, Network Consultant, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “It’s a tremendous honor to be able to recognize the efforts of this year’s award winners and celebrate their achievement as part of National Rural Health Day.”

The Strengths of Rural Obstetrics Care

Contributed by Connie Prell, Charge RN

While rural healthcare faces challenges due to limited resources and the distance from tertiary care centers, there are also notable strengths and advantages. Leaders within community hospitals stay closely connected to the needs of their community, ensuring that decisions are made to bring the most wanted and necessary services to the people they serve.

In the area of obstetrics, family practitioners and nurse midwives work side by side to provide excellent, evidence-based, and personalized care for women, all while fostering deep connections with the families they care for. This creates a sense of purpose for medical providers, who not only offer expert care but also have a personal understanding of each woman’s needs.

In the hospital, specially trained obstetrical nurses work collaboratively to deliver expert care, offering leadership and direction to other nurses and staff members who are cross-trained to lend additional support when needed. This collaboration enhances the sense of purpose among the nursing staff as well. The expertise of the obstetrical team ensures the safety of both mother and baby, recognizing when pregnancy and childbirth are progressing normally and when specialty consultation is necessary.

While staffing challenges can be a concern, innovative involvement and leadership help bridge the gap. In a collaborative environment like this, strengths and weaknesses can be quickly identified, needs addressed, and solutions proposed. The structure of community hospitals fosters open communication, which increases resilience and trust at both the administrative and staff levels, ultimately benefiting the patient.

The focus on family-centered care ensures that services offered by the community hospital provide excellent, necessary care without requiring families to travel long distances—unless the medical safety of either mother or baby requires transfer to a tertiary care center.

Family-Centered Care

Contributed by Arianne Lesko, Administrator of Long Term Care Services

I have worked as part of Mile Bluff's Long-Term Care team since 2019. Previously, I worked in larger communities, and part of what drew (and keeps) me here is how it truly is family taking care of family.

Our Medical Director knows our residents, knows their families, and is able to advocate for and with them. Our CNAs and nurses have grown up alongside the people they care for.

Being rural can sometimes be seen as a disadvantage; however, here at Mile Bluff, it's one of our biggest assets. We are able to be a part of so many families' stories as we live out our mission with multi-generational families.

A Full Circle of Care

Contributed by Cassandra Thayer, Lead Billing Specialist

Being able to have all three of our children born at this hospital in our rural area has been the biggest blessing. The convenience of being able to go to appointments, get labs, and have ultrasounds in our town was something I took for granted.

As our children have grown into teenagers, it has been wonderful to witness the joy and happiness as the doctors, nurses, and staff have also watched them grow. Many of the staff here also have children in the community, so we cheer together at sporting events and watch them perform at school events.

The convenience has not gone away either, as now our visits include x-rays for sports injuries, as well as urgent care and same-day appointments when one of our children comes home from school not feeling well.

Seeing what Mile Bluff has done for our community and the surrounding areas in terms of healthcare, as well as community involvement in issues like mental health, was what made me want to work here two years ago. What truly makes rural health special, though, is seeing the full circle it can create.

Last spring, our oldest was hired to work with the elderly at Fairview. Witnessing his interactions with patients, and the smile and care he brings to others through his position, has been amazing. I am so thankful for the opportunities and care that the Mile Bluff organization provides.