Redefining Rural Healthcare

Building a Better Birth Experience in Rural Wisconsin with Dr. Dennis Hartung

Join guest host Stephanie Waterman, FNP, as she talks with 2025 Provider of the Year recipient Dr. Dennis Hartung, OB/GYN about rural women's healthcare, the growth of Western Wisconsin Health's Birth Center, and the collaborative care model that continues to improve patient experiences and outcomes across the region.

Building Health: Housing Solutions in Western Wisconsin

In this episode of Redefining Rural Health Care, host Ryma Lindquist interviews Kristie Smith of St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity.  They discuss the region’s rising housing costs, Habitat’s 30-year impact, and how stable housing supports health. Kristie also shares application details, eligibility requirements, and upcoming volunteer and repair program opportunities.

Keeping Care Close: Bringing Dialysis Home to WWH

In this special episode, CEO Eilidh Pederson speaks with nephrologist Dr. Nilin Raj about bringing inpatient dialysis to WWH—keeping critical kidney care close to home. They discuss nephrology basics, the need to reduce patient transfers, and how portable dialysis technology is expanding access. The episode also covers future plans for outpatient dialysis, referral pathways, and the importance of prevention through primary care.

Partnership in Practice: Expanding Cancer Care in Rural Communities

Western Wisconsin Health introduces season three of the Redefining Rural Healthcare podcast, focused on community partnerships. Host Ryma Lindquist speaks with Lisa Johnson-Bleskey, director of the Cancer Center of Western Wisconsin, a six-hospital collaboration bringing radiation and oncology services closer to home. The partnership offers chemotherapy, infusions, genetic counseling, clinical trials, and coordinated care, helping reduce travel time for patients. They also highlight integrative health services, patient support through Relay for Life, and Johnson-Bleskey's personal connection to cancer care.

Brittany Pace, FNP - Family Nurse Practitioner

Western Wisconsin Health launches season 3 of its Redefining Rural Healthcare podcast, hosted by Community Relations Director Ryma Lindquist. In this episode, Ryma talks with family nurse practitioner Brittany Pace from the Roberts Clinic about her role in primary care and dermatology-focused services, including treating common skin concerns, when referrals are needed, and tips for skin health and cancer prevention.