Healthcare Transformation Award Granted to Sauk Prairie Healthcare
Pictured following the presentation of the Healthcare Transformation Award by The Alliance to Sauk Prairie Healthcare are Ken Carlson, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer; Paul Johnson, Executive Director, Employer Solutions; Anthony Dix, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Chief People & Culture Officer; Shawn Lerch, CEO; Melanie Schoenemann, GBDS, Vice President, Business Growth & Member Strategy at The Alliance and Jeff Miller, Senior Account Executive at Schwarz Insurance.
The Alliance’s 2026 Healthcare Transformation Award has been given to Sauk Prairie Healthcare, a recognition that highlights our leadership, collaboration and commitment to delivering high value care.
The Healthcare Transformation Award is presented annually by The Alliance Board of Directors. It is given to organizations that affect meaningful improvements in healthcare delivery. The award was presented at The Alliance 2026 Spring Symposium in Madison, where business leaders in healthcare gather to continue improving care in our state.
“Sauk Prairie Healthcare exemplifies how a community hospital can lead transformative change in healthcare delivery,” said Curt Kubiak, president and CEO of The Alliance. “Through cost transparency, innovative partnerships and a culture of collaboration, the organization continues to prove that high quality, affordable healthcare is achievable—one patient, one employer and one community at a time.”
What Sets Us Apart
We are proud to be recognized by The Alliance as a leader and innovator in the delivery of quality care to our patients and business partners. Examples of our breakthrough strategies include:
- Alternative Payment Models. To assist both self-funded employers and community members access quality care at attainable prices, we utilize innovative payment models such as bundling. This means that types of care or treatment, usually surgical procedures, are combined under one cost. Working with The Alliance network, around 40 procedures, including joint replacements and hernia repairs, are included in this process.
- Employee Wellness. As not only a healthcare system, but an employer, we look for the best ways to support our own employees in their health journeys. A few ways we work with employees to maintain good health as well as keep costs low include encouraging employees to seek their care at Sauk Prairie Healthcare, access the employee pharmacy and participate in our wellness program to maximize physical activity, stress management and other wellness options.
“What makes this award so meaningful is that it recognizes transformation driven by collaboration,” said Shawn Lerch, CEO of Sauk Prairie Healthcare. “As both a healthcare provider and an employer, we understand the system from multiple perspectives. That experience has shaped our focus on transparency, care navigation and total cost of care. When providers, employers and partners come together around value, patients and communities truly benefit.”