Shawano Medical Center - Rural Health Initiative

What is it?

The Rural Health Initiative (RHI) provides free health care “house calls” to more than 500 farm families in three counties in northeast Wisconsin. A rural health coordinator (RHC) brings basic preventive care and safety education to the kitchen table, offering no-cost health screenings and referral services.

Who is it for?

Farm families in Shawano, Outagamie and Waupaca counties.

Why do they do it?

This approach bridges a serious gap in access for this rural population: Four out of five farm families have no insurance coverage for preventive care, 14 percent of Wisconsin farm families have no health insurance and another 17 percent have catastrophic coverage only.

Impact

The RHI Shawano is currently reaching about 40 percent of the county’s farmers, farm workers and their children – the RHC makes 1,100 to 1,200 yearly contacts, providing services to approximately 600 individuals overall. In 2012, the program expanded to two nearby counties through partnerships with ThedaCare and public health.

Contact: Rhonda Strebel
RHI Executive Director
Telephone: 715-524-1488
E-mail: rhonda.strebel@thedacare.org