2023 WHA Advocacy Day: Exchanging Knowledge and Inspiration

Children’s Wisconsin participated in the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s (WHA) Advocacy Day on April 19, 2023. WHA Advocacy Day provided the opportunity to spend the day learning about important state issues related to hospitals and health care and to network with other hospital peers to advocate for important policies.

Child Advocacy and Protection Services (CAPS) advanced practice providers, Heather Lisko, Emma Nitz, and Kristin Alinea and child abuse pediatrics fellow, Dr. Kristin Belsaas attended the event.

“As a first time Advocacy Day attendee, it was a great experience to see multiple Wisconsin hospital systems and multiple different professional disciplines come together to accomplish a similar goal,” said Kristin Alinea. “Each person present was passionate for the same cause, and it was wonderful to hear and share our real-life healthcare experiences with state representatives.”

The CAPS team learned about health care policy issues as well as listened to the keynote speaker and a legislative panel. They also had the opportunity to meet with state lawmakers at the Capitol along with Children’s and other Wisconsin health system advocates to discuss health care priorities. WHA Advocacy Day focused on the policy priorities Wisconsin hospitals share, including improved Medicaid reimbursement and workforce initiatives.

“Attending WHA Advocacy Day was truly an inspiring experience,” said Heather Lisko. “In a world where there is a tremendous amount of division between people for an enormous number of reasons (race, political views, gender, sexual preference, etc.), it was inspiring to have a room full of hundreds of people who were there advocating for the same thing, regardless of their personal beliefs. We listened as two previous Wisconsin Governors with different political backgrounds came together with a united response. They said that in order to overcome obstacles, we HAVE to come together. Personally, I will continue to use that mentality in both my personal and professional life.”