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UW Health will expand access to primary care services in south central Wisconsin with the launch of a new family medicine clinic in Janesville. The UW Health Janesville Clinic, located at 500 Midland Court, will start seeing patients on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The family medicine clinic consists of three primary care providers — one physician and two advanced practice providers — supported by nursing and laboratory staff. The 9,900-square-foot facility will offer adult and pediatric primary care services, including office visits for preventive, acute and chronic disease management care, as well as immunizations and vaccinations, care coordination, annual physicals, sports physicals and wellness services. Laboratory services and medical imaging are available on-site.
UW Health is among 22 employers in Wisconsin recognized as a Vets Ready Employer in 2024 by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and its Office of Veteran Employment Services. The annual award recognizes Wisconsin employers that have gone above and beyond to hire and support veterans and their families. UW Health was awarded a gold certification in the large-sized business category. Applicants are rated and awarded based on criteria including support for veterans in the workplace, such as available resources, training and work environment, hiring practices to prioritize veteran hires, and efforts to connect to the wider veteran community, including military families, service members and veterans.
In late October, UW Health East Madison Hospital, across the street from the new Eastpark Medical Center, was certified as a Level IV Trauma Center by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The hospital joins the UW Health trauma system alongside the University Hospital Level I Adult Trauma Center and American Family Children’s Hospital Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, creating a connected program treating trauma no matter the age or care required. East Madison Hospital, which opened in 2015, has always been able to take care of critically injured patients in emergency situations, but this new designation recognizes that the hospital has demonstrated its ability to care for patients who need advanced care for traumatic injuries, according to Dr. Joshua Gauger, trauma medical director at East Madison Hospital, and emergency medicine physician, UW Health. “Patients often arrive at our emergency department at the worst moment in their lives, and this designation should help give them and their families peace of mind knowing they are receiving the best care possible,” he said.
UW Health Kids and Children’s Wisconsin are announcing a new joint venture for shared pediatric cardiac and adult congenital heart care services. This collaboration, called Forward Pediatric Alliance, will enable the two health systems to expand patient access and further elevate both organizations’ already high quality of care, according to Scott Turner, executive vice president, Children’s Wisconsin and president and chief operating officer, Children’s Wisconsin Hospitals. “We have the opportunity to align the incredible work our organizations do,” he said. “We are committed to working together to enable the best health outcomes for our pediatric heart patients.” This program is also designed to accelerate innovative research and help train the next generation of pediatric cardiac care providers, according to Nikki Stafford, president of American Family Children’s Hospital and system vice president of pediatric services, UW Health Kids. “This alliance will better help us attract and retain the best pediatric cardiac care providers,” she said. “We’ll be working together to solve complex problems and ensure our future patients have access to the best quality pediatric cardiac care.” Congenital heart disease is the most common type of birth defect, affecting nearly one in 100 births each year.
UW Health Eastpark Medical Center welcomed the third and final phase of patients, including patients seeking care through the Integrated Specialty Care for Women Program. This program will enable coordinated and wholistic care for women with many conditions, including gynecologic cancers, and pelvic floor disorders like incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, as well as therapy for sexual health dysfunction., all of which impact women’s overall health and well-being, according to Dr. Ellen Hartenbach, chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
UW Health hosted a ceremony to celebrate the opening of Eastpark Medical Center. This more-than-475,000-square-foot, seven-story facility, the largest medical facility to be completed in the United States in 2024, will be home to more than 600 staff upon opening, according to Dr. Peter Newcomer, chief operating officer, UW Health. “We’ve designed this facility to offer convenient and coordinated care,” he said. “We’re thrilled to begin seeing patients at this incredible, state-of-the-art center.” With demand for high-quality health care at an all-time high, Eastpark is opening at an important time, according to Dr. Alan Kaplan, chief executive officer, UW Health. “Eastpark will transform patient care with world-class clinicians, life-saving therapies, cutting-edge technologies and world-changing research all under one roof,” he said. “The convenient location and enhanced care coordination are making the highest quality patient care accessible to patients throughout Wisconsin and beyond.”
For the 13th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranked University of Wisconsin Hospitals No. 1 in Wisconsin on its Best Hospitals list. This recognition reinforces the longstanding reputation for outstanding patient care, innovative therapies and exceptional patient outcomes at UW Health, according to Dr. Alan Kaplan, chief executive officer, UW Health. “We play a very important role in the health of patients across Wisconsin and beyond,” he said. “As an academic medical center, we provide remarkable care for our patients ranging from primary care to some of the most complex cases and cutting-edge clinical trials." U.S. News & World Report evaluated almost 5,000 hospitals as part of the Best Hospitals rankings. In addition to the No. 1 ranking in Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin Hospitals had seven medical and surgical specialties ranked among the best in the nation: ear, nose and throat, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, geriatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery and urology. Obstetrics and gynecology was ranked among the top 10 in the nation, at No. 7. Three additional medical and surgical specialties were rated as high performing: cancer, cardiology, heart and vascular surgery, and neurology and neurosurgery.
UW Health recently earned seven national awards from Practice Greenhealth, a nonprofit organization focused on making the health care industry more sustainable. Three UW Health hospitals in Madison were recognized for excellence in sustainability strategies and environmental achievements in several categories, according to Mary Statz, program director, Energy Management and Sustainability, UW Health. University Hospital and American Family Children’s Hospital receive one award per category, as the two hospitals share a campus. University Hospital, American Family Children’s Hospital and East Madison Hospital received the Greening the Operating Room Award, which honors facilities that have made substantial progress in reducing the impact of the surgical environment.
UW Health has again received the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. The designation was awarded in the 16th iteration of the foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index, or HEI, released today. A record 1,065 health care facilities participated in the HEI 2024 survey and scoring process. Of those, 384 received the top score of 100, earning the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation. “This designation is national recognition that we have an affirming community of care for our LGBTQ+ patients and staff,” said Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, chief diversity officer, UW Health.
UW Health is harnessing the power of solar energy by installing the largest solar canopy in Wisconsin at the new Eastpark Medical Center. 2,064 solar panels sitting atop the parking structure will generate clean energy for the medical center. RENEW Wisconsin, a non-profit renewable energy advocacy organization that tracks solar installations across the state, confirmed the project surpasses the size of any other solar canopy structure in the state. “Using solar energy was always part of our vision for Eastpark Medical Center, given our commitment to climate health,” said Dr. Alan Kaplan, CEO, UW Health. The easiest and most efficient way to lower the amount of energy the buildings consume is to use on site energy from the solar panels, said Kaplan. UW Health became one of the first health systems in the country in 2022 to join the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Climate Challenge, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent within 10 years. “UW Health has not only embraced renewable energy but also set a remarkable precedent for environmental responsibility,” said Katrina Lambrecht, senior vice president and chief administrative officer, UW Health. “This initiative showcases our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and promoting clean energy solutions.”
