Gretchen Dahlen is the president of The Dahlen Company, LLC, and creator of Consumer Health Ratings, your guide to online healthcare ratings TM nationwide. Since 1993, The Dahlen Company has provided management consulting and seminars to assist service sector organizations improve their performance through quality and six sigma process improvement, strategic planning and Board/Leadership retreats.
The Dahlen Company expanded its national presence with the 2006 launch of Consumer Health Ratings, which highlights the wide range of quality comparisons publicly reported about health insurance plans and healthcare providers – from hospitals to doctors to nursing homes and others, anywhere in the United States. Consumer Health Ratings also tracks and facilitates price comparisons within the healthcare field, to help consumers interested in knowing average costs for healthcare services.
Ms. Dahlen is a former hospital Chief Executive Officer and health system executive who brings more than 25 years of experience in health care administration spanning a variety of settings from acute care community and teaching hospitals, to ambulatory care, managed care, long-term care and home health, to the creation of a variety of new ventures. Prior to establishing The Dahlen Company, she served as President of a new ventures arm and Vice President for Marketing and Planning at a leading tertiary hospital system in Madison, WI; served as CEO for a community hospital and long-term care system in Minnesota; and led ambulatory care at a managed care system under management contract with Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.
Ms. Dahlen is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, a volunteer and member of her state’s Steering Committee for IHI’s 100,000 Lives Campaign, an Examiner for the Wisconsin Forward Award (state-level Baldrige program), past president of Wisconsin Women Entrepreneurs (now NAWBO) and for ten years has served on the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Advisory Council.
Ms. Dahlen received her master’s degree in health services administration from The University of Michigan, and her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN.
Gretchen grew up in rural Minnesota, and lives near Madison, Wisconsin. She enjoys singing, playing piano, researching family history and traveling to the National Parks.
Presentation/Facilitation Topics
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The New Consumers
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Trends and Issues in Health Care
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Future of Health Care
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Transparency and Public Reporting
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Quality and Excellence
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Baldrige Award
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Leadership and Strategy
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Leadership on the Front Lines
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Strategic Planning
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New Questions to Strengthen Strategic Plans and Position
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Board’s Role in Quality: Courageous Questions to Ask
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Governance and Community Accountability
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Board Retreats
