Orion Initiative

10/21/2026

We're excited to welcome Black River Health, Upland Hills Health and Reedsburg Area Medical Center as the newest partners in STARS-R (Specialty Training at Rural Sites-Rheumatology).

Through STARS-R, rural primary care providers receive advanced rheumatology and musculoskeletal training and mentorship to expand access to specialty care closer to home.

Over the coming months, we'll introduce you to each of our new STARS-R partners and share how they're helping strengthen rheumatology care in rural Wisconsin.

Learn more about STARS-R at https://www.orioninitiative.org/our-work/specialty-training-at-rural-sites-rheumatology/

10/19/2026

For rural primary care providers, building confidence in dermatology care can help expand what’s possible for patients close to home.

Through Specialty Training at Rural Sites-Dermatology (STARS-D), rural providers work alongside UW academic dermatologists and dermatopathologists to strengthen their skills, build new relationships and expand local dermatology capabilities.

Dr. Matt Solverson, a STARS-D rural primary care provider at Lafayette Hospital + Clinics, shared how the experience has helped providers feel more confident providing dermatology care locally, including performing shave biopsies and managing skin cancers and other skin conditions.

By strengthening connections between rural providers and academic specialists, STARS-D supports more care close to home for rural patients.

10/14/2026

The Orion Initiative is excited to welcome Menominee Tribal Ambulance Service as a partner in Specialty Training at Rural Sites for Pediatric Prehospital Care (STARS-PPC).

In June, the Native American Center for Health Professions (NACHP) Tribal Engagement Office, Dr. Andrew Steinfeldt and his team brought the Menominee EMS team together to kick off the initiative. Through this partnership, STARS-PPC will expand pediatric-specific training opportunities for EMS providers serving tribal communities.

We’re grateful for the collaboration and look forward to strengthening pediatric emergency care through partnership and training.

Learn more about STARS-PPC: https://www.orioninitiative.org/our-work/specialty-training-at-rural-sites-pediatric-prehospital-care/

10/12/2026

On World Arthritis Day, we’re highlighting how partnerships can bring more specialty care closer to home.

For people living with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions, accessing specialty care can be challenging, particularly in rural communities.

Through Specialty Training at Rural Sites-Rheumatology (STARS-R), rural primary care providers work alongside UW–Madison rheumatologists to build skills and confidence in caring for patients with rheumatic conditions. Learn more about STARS-R:
https://www.orioninitiative.org/our-work/specialty-training-at-rural-sites-rheumatology/

10/07/2026

Children in rural communities deserve access to high-quality emergency care.

Through the STARS-Pediatric Prehospital Care (STARS-PPC) program, Dr. Michael Kim and partners are helping equip rural EMS clinicians with the knowledge, skills and confidence to care for critically ill and injured children through hands-on training with life-like pediatric robotic manikins.

By bringing pediatric emergency education directly on-site to rural EMS agencies, STARS-PPC is strengthening emergency care where it matters most: close to home.

Learn more about how STARS-PPC is helping improve pediatric emergency care across rural Wisconsin: https://www.orioninitiative.org/our-work/specialty-training-at-rural-sites-pediatric-prehospital-care/

10/05/2026

This National Primary Care Week, we’re celebrating the primary care physicians who care for patients and strengthen the health of their communities.

Primary care is often the front door to the health care system, especially in rural communities. When providers have opportunities to build new skills, connect with specialists and expand the care they can provide close to home, patients and communities benefit.

We’re proud to partner with rural primary care physicians and the academic medical community to strengthen the health care workforce and expand access to care close to home.

Thank you to the primary care physicians who show up for their patients and communities every day.

09/30/2026

When health care providers see a gap in care, they have the power to create change.

In this video celebrating Women in Medicine Month, Dr. Ann Chodara highlights how Dr. Christie Bartels helped launch a program that brings advanced rheumatology training to rural providers.

Through the Specialty Training at Rural Sites-Rheumatology (STARS-R), rural primary care providers connect with UW–Madison rheumatologists to expand access to specialty care closer to home.

When providers come together to address gaps in care, they create meaningful change. We're proud to be part of the partnerships making that change possible in rural communities.

🎥 Watch the video from UW-Madison Department of Medicine :

In celebration of the 2026 American Medical Association (AMA) Women...

09/28/2026

This fall, the Orion Initiative welcomed 13 new rural health partners, more than doubling our network across Wisconsin.

Since our public launch in 2025, Orion has:
• Grown from 3 to 20 rural health care partners
• Co-designed 5 programs
• Expanded our work to 18 Wisconsin counties

From specialty training to workforce opportunities, these partnerships are helping bring resources, skills and new opportunities to rural communities.

Read the full story and meet Orion’s newest partners: https://www.orioninitiative.org/2026/09/08/orion-initiative-announces-significant-expansion-of-rural-health-partnerships-across-wisconsin/

09/24/2026

For patients in rural communities, access to specialty care can make a meaningful difference in their health and well-being. Through the Specialty Training at Rural Sites-Rheumatology (STARS-R) program, Mile Bluff Medical Center is bringing specialized knowledge closer to home by connecting its primary care providers with rheumatology specialists from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Through STARS-R, the Orion Initiative supports rural providers in expanding their skills and strengthening local care teams, helping more patients access rheumatology care in their communities.

Learn more about STARS-R: https://www.orioninitiative.org/our-work/specialty-training-at-rural-sites-rheumatology/

09/22/2026

🍂 The Fall Orion Initiative Update is here!

There’s a lot happening across Orion’s growing network of rural health care partnerships. In this issue, you’ll find:
🤝 13 new rural health partners across Wisconsin
🌟 Stories from the field featuring our rural partners and grant programs
🏆 Two Gold Awards for Orion’s video
📅 A look ahead to our October Convening Dinner

Read the latest Orion news and see how partnerships are helping move rural health care forward: https://www.orioninitiative.org/2026/09/21/orion-update-fall-2026/