Froedtert Hospital president Cathy Buck has begun a two-year term as chair of the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership, a public-private consortium working to improve health care for underserved populations in Milwaukee County.
The position was previously held by Travis Andersen, south region president for Ascension Wisconsin.
“As chair, I look forward to growing greater awareness among health care and civic leaders about the powerful strategies the partnership’s members are employing – individually and collectively – to tackle some of Milwaukee’s most challenging health care needs,” Buck said.
Buck will work with Joy Tapper, executive director of the partnership, on the consortium’s strategic priorities, which include improving health outcomes, reducing disparities and lowering the total cost of care.
Since forming in 2007, the partnership said it has helped thousands of uninsured individuals find coverage, increased capacity at safety net clinics and increased access to affordable medications. Nearly half of Milwaukee County’s population is considered medically vulnerable and 33 percent of residents are covered by a Medicaid program, according to the partnership.
“Cathy’s career has been distinguished by her leadership in quality improvement,” Tapper said. “Her experience will help guide our collaborative work to expand access to primary care and specialty services, including behavioral health and dental services for vulnerable populations in our community.”
Members of the partnership include Ascension Wisconsin, Aurora Health Care, Children’s Hospital and Health System, Froedtert Health, the Medical College of Wisconsin; Milwaukee’s five federally qualified health centers including Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, Milwaukee Health Services, Inc., Outreach Community Health Centers, Progressive Community Health Centers, and Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers; and the city, county and state health departments.
