Healthcare Thrives

The Madison Region enjoys a significant competitive advantage in the healthcare industry with our nationally-recognized providers in both community-focused healthcare organizations and academic and research organizations. As a sample of our superior healthcare organizations, we are served by:

• Mercy Health Systems, based in Rock County, which achieved the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
Read Mercy Health System's story here.


• Monroe Clinic, based in Green County, which has been named one of the Top 100 Hospitals in the country by Solucient.


• St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, based in Sauk County, part of SSM Health Care, which achieved the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.


• St. Mary's Hospital, based in Dane County, which achieved the Magnet Recognition for Nursing Excellence, in addition to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award as part of SSM Health Care.


• The nationally-renowned University of Wisconsin Hospital, based in Dane County, which achieved a multitude of top hospital awards from organizations such as Leapfrog, Solucient for three years straight, and Thomson for the fourth time.

A driving reason for this intersection between core and growth industry is healthcare's unique impact on the quality of life. As the sector continues to grow, its already noteworthy economic impact on the region will also increase.

Demand for healthcare services will continue to increase as our population grows and as we live longer. The technology behind the healthcare enables treatment that previously was considered unimaginable. These advances allow us to prevent, diagnose, and manage health and illness better than we have been able to before, but they are creating challenges for society and the healthcare industry itself. Healthcare organizations need an ever increasing workforce with ever increasing skills. Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development projects an employment increase of 3.9% for the healthcare sector in a span of just two years, which is over twice the rate of the increase for all industries combined.

Collaboration efforts to address these challenges are gaining steam, as exemplified through the work of the WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) Initiative. The South Central - Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Boards are partnering with major healthcare providers and educational institutions in the region to shape targeted education programs. These programs benefit students and incumbent workers by teaching them new and immediately applicable skills; benefit the healthcare organizations by creating immediately employable workers for positions with the greatest need; and ultimately benefit society by facilitating the success of a core and growth industry sector which significantly impacts our everyday lives.

With the Madison Region's unique advantages in world-class and community-focused healthcare institutions, collaborative efforts such as this will flourish and multiply.

Be a part of growing the healthcare sector. Contact:

Kathryn Otto, Director of Healthcare Initiatives
608.443.1963
Email Kathryn

In collaboration and agreement with healthcare sector leaders, Thrive established the definition below for the healthcare sector:

"In this region, we're leaders in innovation and delivery. Because of our commitment to collaboration, I believe we're very well-positioned to be national leaders in creating a healthcare system that's accessible to all."
--Dr. Frank Byrne, President, St. Mary's Hospital

Mercy Health System, based in Janesville, was recently ranked 11th in a list of the top 100 integrated health networks.

Read the full story

Click the links below to view more maps demonstrating the type and distribution of healthcare establishments in the region as well as workforce mapping.

Maps courtesy of Matt Kures, UW-Extension.

Did you know?
According to Men's Health magazine, Madison Wisconsin ranks first as the city with the healthiest teeth in the nation.