AHW's Health Workforce Well-Being Landmark Initiative
A thriving health workforce is critical for ensuring that people in our state achieve their full potential. When health workers are supported and well, they can offer better, more compassionate care. Prioritizing their well-being leads to better health outcomes for all.
AHW has signaled its commitment to the state’s health workforce by identifying Health Workforce Well-Being as one of three Landmark Initiatives in its current Five-Year Plan, noting that Wisconsin is one of only three states in the nation without a physician wellness plan. The others are Nebraska and California.
Wisconsin’s approach will only succeed if it is developed and implemented by those who live this reality every day.
AHW Health Workforce Well-Being Champion Michael Stadler, MD, FACS, shares information about recent changes to licensing applications for health workers in Wisconsin.
Meet AHW's Health Workforce Well-Being Champion
Michael Stadler, MD, FACS
Dr. Michael Stadler
Associate Professor · Medical College of Wisconsin
Specialty
Head & neck oncology
Role
Chief of Otolaryngology, Zablocki VA
Board certified
Otolaryngologist–head & neck surgeon
Focus
HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers
Dr. Stadler completed his medical degree at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, followed by residency training at Washington University School of Medicine and advanced fellowship training in head and neck surgical oncology and microvascular reconstruction at the University of North Carolina Health System.
Recognized for his clinical excellence, teaching, and leadership in patient safety and quality improvement, Dr. Stadler has received numerous awards and has contributed extensively to research, education, and national professional organizations in otolaryngology.
Healthcare leaders from across Wisconsin have joined the Caring for Wisconsin's Caregivers movement, which combines a unifying purpose with education, information sharing, and proven tools to maximize health workforce well-being and make Wisconsin the best destination for fulfilling health careers.
Common Ground
Hear from leaders from across the care spectrum about the importance of collaborating to support health worker well-being in Wisconsin.
Nadine Allen, MBA, CPHQ
Wisconsin Hospital Association Chief Quality Officer Nadine Allen, MBA, CPHQ, explains the relationship between health worker well-being and quality care.
Stephanie Simmons
Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation Chief Medical Officer Stefanie Simmons, MD, FACEP, explains the components of the Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers program.
Sara Sorum, PharmD, CAE
Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin CEO Sara Sorum, PharmD, CAE, emphasizes the importance of policy-level changes needed to support health workers.
Jim Lorence
Wisconsin Medical Society Chief Value and Engagement Officer Jim Lorence reflects on the far-reaching benefits of a thriving health workforce.
At the 2026 Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) Rural Health Conference in Elkhart Lake, AHW’s Health Workforce Well-Being Landmark investment was highlighted, specifically a project partnership between AHW, WHA, and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation entitled, “Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers.” The discussion centered around the need for cultures within hospitals and health systems that actively support caregiver well-being, recognizing it as a foundational driver of patient safety, workforce stability, and organizational performance.
Sign up to receive information about AHW’s Health Workforce Well-Being Landmark Initiative.
Grant Funding is Now Available!
AHW’s Health Workforce Well-Being Grants funding opportunity supports community-driven efforts to conduct initial exploration, develop effective strategies and interventions, and test innovative ideas to serve as foundational components to AHW’s Health Workforce Well-Being Landmark Initiative.
Calls for applications for funding for projects specifically geared toward AHW’s Health Workforce Well-Being Landmark Initiative will appear here and on AHW’s Funding Opportunities page. Projects focused on health workforce well-being are also invited during any and all open AHW grant opportunities.
News and Resources
WISN 12: Doctors face higher rates of anxiety, depression and suicide than general population
WISN 12's Gerron Jordan sits down with AHW Executive Director Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld to discuss why so many medical professionals avoid treatment, and the strategies that may help save lives.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Highlights Physician Mental Health Challenges
Most physicians with mental health conditions don't seek help. But why? AHW Executive Director Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld and Health Workforce Well-Being champion Dr. Michael Stadler speak to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about this critical issue within Wisconsin's health workforce.
Caring for Wisconsin's Caregivers Holds Kickoff Meeting
The Steering Committee for the Caring for Wisconsin's Caregivers Initiative held their kickoff meeting at Medical College of Wisconsin's HUB for Collaborative Medicine on August 26, 2025. This coalition represents AHW's $3.2 million investment to build sustainable solutions for healthcare workforce well-being across Wisconsin's 30+ health systems—partnering with Wisconsin Hospital Association and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation.
Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment Invests $5.6 Million in Wisconsin Health Workforce Well-Being
AHW will invest more than $5.6 million over the next five years in projects designed to enhance the professional well-being of the state's health workforce as an upstream effort to improve the overall health of Wisconsin.
Healing the Healers: Wisconsin's Initiative to Address Healthcare Workforce Burnout
Across Wisconsin, and throughout the U.S., health workers are facing unprecedented levels of burnout, mental health challenges, and professional exhaustion that threaten both their well-being and the quality of patient care they provide.
Spectrum News Highlights AHW’s $5.6M Investment to Support Health Workforce Well-Being
Dr. Michael Stadler, champion of AHW’s Health Workforce Well-Being Initiative, discusses how AHW’s $5.6 million five-year investment is helping to combat burnout and strengthen the mental health supports for Wisconsin’s health workforce.
Coffee Conversations with Scientists: The Science Behind Workforce Well-Being
Michael Stadler, MD, Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the Medical College of Wisconsin and former Chief Medical Officer of Froedtert Hospital, discusses a transformative statewide initiative to support the well-being of Wisconsin’s health workforce
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