Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals

Hospitals provide 24-hour medical care for short-term illnesses and injuries.

Critical access hospitals provide care to people living in rural areas. This includes:

Emergency care.
Care for short-term illnesses.
Help for people who need resources for rehabilitation or other care services after hospitalization.

Finding and choosing a hospital

Contact us

For questions about hospitals or critical access hospitals, contact the Wisconsin Division of Quality Assurance (DQA):

Email dhswebmaildqa@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
Call 608-266-8481.

Critical access hospital contacts

General information

Kathryn Miller, 608-261-1891 or 800-385-0005, ext. 26, rural hospitals initiatives program manager and flex coordinator

Information about critical access hospitals

Wisconsin Rural Health Association

Dr. Bruce Kraus, 920-623-2323

Critical access hospital resources

Additional contacts

Compliance history

Nurse consultant, Wisconsin hospital rules and regulations

Denise Balboa, 920-979-6437

Pharmacy consultant

Douglas Englebert, 608-266-5388

Life safety code (consultant)

David Soens, 608-220-0521

State licensure and Medicaid/Medicare certification

Thomas Rylander, 608-266-7297

Swing bed (minimum data set or patient-driven payment model)

Heather Newton, 920-360-6102

Survey inspection process supervisors

Kelly Terrab, 608-266-0269

Sara Schmidt, 608-261-6752

Transplant programs at hospitals provide people with organ transplants. Transplant programs are allowed only at hospitals with a Medicare provider agreement.

Fire reporting

All fires in a licensed facility in Wisconsin must be reported to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) within 72 hours. To report a fire, complete and submit the Health Care Facility Fire Report, F-62500.

For questions regarding fire reporting, contact DQA Fire Authority:

Email dhsdqaplanreview@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
Call 608-266-8016.

Additional information is provided in DQA numbered memo 23-002 (PDF).