KATHYS HOUSE INC

Kathy's House aims to become a replicable national model in the field of Hospital Guest Housing by developing a state-of-the-art facility and delivering guest services based on best practices to improve patient care and the healthcare delivery model.

Our vision for becoming a national model of care is rooted in the US Department of Health & Human Services’ definition of the 8 dimensions of wellness. Using this framework as our guide, we intentionally designed our newly constructed home to integrate a holistic approach to healing for our guests.

Kathy’s House is a caring place where guests can eat, sleep, and be with others when they want – or be alone when they need time, introspection, and quiet healing.

A vital resource in the Milwaukee healthcare community, Kathy’s House is the only hospital guest house in the area that serves patients of all ages and their caregivers and serves all area hospitals.

Any patient receiving inpatient or outpatient treatment at a Milwaukee area hospital, along with their caregiver(s) is eligible to become a guest at Kathy’s House. While most guests contribute to their stay, no one is turned away for an inability to pay.

Our strategic goals are detailed below:
1. Provide an exceptional guest experience that includes a safe, inviting, and supportive environment and programmatic features that foster healthier outcomes for our guests.

2. Increase fundraising capacity and diversify funding sources to meet or exceed the capital campaign goal and operational budget.

3. Collaborate with referring partners and ensure best practices which improve patient outcomes, including prevention of hospital re-admittance, and improve cost effectiveness and efficiencies as part of the overall healthcare delivery system.

4. Provide a facility and replicable, thoughtful service delivery model that is based on academic best practices, is externally evaluated (benchmarked), and promotes positive patient outcomes.

5. Build the Kathy’s House brand through effective marketing, stronger community relationships, increased fundraising capacity, and diversified funding sources.

Kathy's House opened in 2001 in a former priests' house on the campus of Saint Camillus. With 18 rooms, only 6 of which were handicap accessible, the house was ill-equipped to meet growing demand - especially considering that 13% of guests identify as disabled.

In 2021, Kathy's House moved from our original 15,000 square foot home to a new, 32,000 square foot facility on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center Campus. As our capacity grew to accommodate more than twice as many families, our budget has also grown to $1.2 million.

In addition to doubling capacity and providing unprecedented proximity to care at Froedtert Hospital, the new house has many updated features. Unique for guest houses nationally, the new facility has a separate wing for patients with compromised immune systems and a patient services room where basic clinical services such as blood draws, central line care and video telehealth vis-its can occur.

Rooftop solar panels, the first on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus, help offset heat and electric costs. The House also has a communal kitchen, dining area, library, fireplace, meditation room, family room, fitness room, laundry facilities, courtyard, patio, walking trail and parking, and is fully compliant with Americans for Disabilities Act requirements.

In 2018, sparked by a lead gift from nearby Froedtert Hospital of $6 million, Kathy's House began a $12 million fundraising campaign to construct a "New Home for Healing." As occupancy grew, plans for the home expanded from 24 to 36 rooms. A location was secured on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center Campus, and construction began in August, 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.. On June 7, 2021, the new house opened to guests on time, under budget, and without debt. Within a year, two more rooms were built out, bringing the total available to 38.

Since opening the new house, Kathy's House has served more than 1000 families annually. We are concentrating ongoing efforts on deepening our commitment to holistic wellness. New signage, resources, and programming are being designed to provide support for both patients and caregivers staying in our home. We are focused on listening to our guests' feedback, which is overwhelmingly positive, in driving continuous improvement. A recent survey showed a net promoter score of 100%.