Rural Health Initiative operating under ThedaCare

On Jan. 1, the Rural Health Initiative became a program that is operated under ThedaCare.

The Rural Health Initiative will now be known as the ThedaCare Rural Health Initiative. The RHI is a program ran by executive director Rhonda Strebel for the last 17 years. The focus of the program is to reach out to the community and help those who may not have access to a physician. The nonprofit program is set on engaging in population health.

Strebel often reaches out to farmers in rural areas within Shawano, Outagamie and Waupaca counties. She and her staff physically go out to rural homes and farms to help those individuals with their health needs.

While being under the umbrella of ThedaCare, RHI has the ability to worry less about fundraising and applying for grants and more about what they can do to help people that are in need.

“We just want to make a difference for families,” said Strebel.

Amy and Derick Zernicke recently got in contact with Strebel and the RHI to help their family. Derick Zernicke, a longtime farmer, was suffering from effects of stress and seasonal affective disorder. Without sufficient access or time to go to a hospital or physician, Amy Zernicke reached out to Strebel for help.

Strebel came out to the farm in Landstad and recommended simple remedies, like taking vitamin D and installing seasonal affective disorder lights into the house. She also recommended that writing in a journal could help. After not seeing much of a change, Strebel recommended that they should go in to see a doctor and receive medicine. Symptoms started to disappear, and Derick Zernicke began to feel better.

The Zernicke family expressed their gratitude towards Strebel and the program for making the trip out to be with the family.

“My husband is thankful and I am grateful that Rhonda was able to come out and help us,” said Amy Zernicke. “We even keep in contact today.”

Amy Zernicke posted updates on her Facebook page detailing the situation and the help that Strebel provided. This opened up the community’s eyes to the program, as well as gave her a platform to talk about what happened.

RHI is dedicated to helping and supporting rural farming families, like the Zernickes. Strebel believes that farms and farmers play a significant role in the community.

“Farms are very important to the community,” said Strebel. “They are a lifeline for food.”

With farming families not having sufficient access or not having time to see a doctor, the RHI is available to come to them.

“We are unique, in that we go to them when they need assistance,” said Strebel.

When RHI staff go out to meet with families, they often check blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol. This leads to the staff of the program being able to recommend what the next step could be towards recovery. The staff also provides these individuals with a “listening ear,” according to Strebel, where they can have conversations about what is happening and how the two parties can work together to improve it.

With RHI now being operated under ThedaCare, they have become closer with health care within the hospital, even though RHI has had an office in the clinic on County Road B for years. This allows for easier and more efficient communication when trying to prescribe the help farmers or agriculture workers need.

Strebel said that the community has become very supportive and appreciative of the program. Those individuals who have been helped have even kept personal relationships with Strebel and the rest of the staff.

“Trust is built,” said Strebel. “94% of people that we recommend referrals to end up going through with them.”

lreimer@newmedia-wi.com