Orion Initiative
Share
Pediatric EMS training. Physician recruitment and retention. Training in specialty fields.
The Orion Initiative improves health in rural communities by investing in the transformative power of partnership between frontline rural providers and the academic medical community. In partnership with the Orion Initiative, frontline rural providers and academic physicians are rolling up their sleeves to strengthen the rural health care workforce and support clinicians in rural communities. They all align with our mission to build bridges between rural providers and academic medical communities to move the needle on increased access to high-quality health care in rural communities. The Orion Initiative is a program within the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
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 :
Women Working Together to Transform Medicine In celebration of the 2026 American Medical Association (AMA) Women...
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/
🍂 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/
09/16/2026
Dermatology specialists aren't evenly distributed across Wisconsin. Most practice in the state's more populated regions, leaving many rural communities with fewer options for specialty skin care.
STARS-D is changing that by partnering with rural primary care providers to expand dermatology knowledge through practical training, mentorship and collaboration.
More expertise. Less travel. Better access for rural patients. Learn more: https://www.orioninitiative.org/our-work/specialty-training-at-rural-sites-dermatology/
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32659067/
The Specialty Training at Rural Sites (STARS) model brings together rural clinicians and University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health academic physicians to expand specialty care in rural communities.
Through hands-on, in-person training, rural providers build new skills, gain confidence managing specialty conditions and strengthen connections with UW academic specialists who provide ongoing support.
By investing in rural clinicians, STARS helps patients receive more care closer to home while building a stronger rural health workforce.
Learn more about STARS: https://www.orioninitiative.org/our-work/specialty-training-at-rural-sites/
09/09/2026
Partnerships are essential to expanding access to specialty care in rural communities.
Through the Specialty Training at Rural Sites-Dermatology (STARS-D) program, UW Dermatology and Southwest Health are working together to enhance dermatology knowledge and procedural skills among rural primary care clinicians.
We're grateful to the clinicians and partners helping shape innovative approaches that bring specialty expertise closer to home for Wisconsin patients.
Learn more about STARS-D: https://www.orioninitiative.org/our-work/specialty-training-at-rural-sites-dermatology/
Simulation training prepares EMS providers for the moments they hope never come.
Just weeks after participating in STARS-PPC pediatric emergency training, Green Lake County EMS providers responded to a call involving two critically injured children. Following the incident, participating providers reported applying pediatric assessment, triage and stabilization techniques learned through the program and described feeling more confident managing a rare, high-acuity pediatric emergency.
When rural EMS teams have opportunities to practice these low-frequency, high-stakes scenarios, they are better prepared to deliver lifesaving care when every second counts.
Every marker represents a partnership that's helping improve health in rural Wisconsin.
20 partners across 19 Wisconsin counties and growing.
In the coming months, we'll introduce you to many of our newest partners and the innovative work happening in their communities.
Explore our growing network at orioninitiative.org.
08/20/2026
Strong partnerships are helping expand pediatric emergency training in rural Wisconsin.
Through the STARS-Pediatric Prehospital Care program, Dr. Kyle Schoppel and partners are working alongside rural EMS agencies to deliver hands-on simulation training that prepares first responders to care for critically ill and injured children.
Together, they're building sustainable training models that strengthen pediatric emergency care for rural communities across Wisconsin.
Learn more about STARS-PPC: https://www.orioninitiative.org/our-work/specialty-training-at-rural-sites-pediatric-prehospital-care /
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Category
Contact the practice
Website
Address
750 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI
53705