Healthcare Transformation Awards
Healthcare Transformation Awards recognizes employers, providers or other organizations that drive meaningful change in the healthcare marketplace, including improving quality, affordability and accessibility. The recipients are chosen by The Alliance Board of Directors and are typically recognized at The Alliance’s Spring Symposium.
Healthcare Transformation Awards Criteria
Healthcare Transformation Award recipients must demonstrate their commitment to promoting effective change in the healthcare marketplace based on one or more of the following criteria:
High-Value Healthcare
Is taking action to significantly improve the quality and/or affordability of healthcare.
Transparency
Is achieving significant gains in the availability and/or use of meaningful information to compare price and quality.
Payment Reform
Is developing, testing, or implementing value-based payment approaches to encourage high-quality, affordable care.
Provider Network Design
Is developing, testing or implementing approaches to make high-value healthcare providers easily accessible to employees.
Benefit Plan Design
Is developing, testing or implementing approaches to support the appropriate use of high-value providers and treatments by consumers.
2026 Healthcare Transformation Award Recipients
Kwik Trip
Kwik Trip, Inc. is a family-owned Midwest convenience store company based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, employing more than 38,000 people and operating nearly 900 stores. Through its self-funded benefit plan, on-site clinics, pharmacy strategy, and use of The Alliance’s Preferred-Value Providers, the company reduced per-member-per-month costs to $303.41 in 2025 compared to $957.11 under its standard plan.
Sauk Prairie Healthcare
Sauk Prairie Hospital is a 36-bed nonprofit hospital in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, known for delivering high-quality, cost-effective care. A long-standing partner and dual employer-member of The Alliance, Sauk Prairie has been an early adopter of innovative contracting strategies, including bundled pricing and a designated Preferred-Value Provider.
Previous Recipients
2024
The Alliance chose to suspend the Healthcare Transformation Awards for 2024 as the organization transitions to recognizing recipients annually at the Spring Symposium event.
2021
Unfortunately, The Alliance chose to suspend the Healthcare Transformation Awards for 2021.
2020
Matt Ohrt, VP of HR and Medical Services at Merrill Steel |
Case Study | Video |
Traci Rothenburger, Clinic Manager at Nordic PrivateCare |
Case Study | Video |
Tena Hoag, CFO at Advanced Laser |
Case Study | Video |
Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO) |
Case Study | Video |
2019
Novo Health |
Promega Corporation |
Marilyn Bartlett and the Montana State Employee Health Plan |
2018
2017
Gunderson Health System |
John Nygren, Wisconsin State Representative |
Open Notes, Catherine DesRoches |
Miniature- Precision Components |
Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ) |
2016
Beaver Dam Community Hospital |
The Leapfrog Group |
Natasha Plank-Ottum, CEO of Plank Enterprises |
Valerie Shields, Stoughton, WI |
Webcrafters Inc. |
2015
Dianne Kiehl, “Driver of Meaningful Change“, Executive Director, The Business Health Care Group |
QualityPath Designated Hospitals and Doctors |
SMARTCare
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