Michael Bernhagen
Director of Business Development @Rainbow Community Care
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WORK HISTORY
Director of Business Development @Rainbow Community Care
Jefferson, WI, US
Direct business development for a highly respected local, independent, and non-profit provider of hospice and palliative care. As a member of the senior leadership team, I mentor, Clinical Facility Liaison, and, Marketing Communications Manager. I collaborate with clinical teams and referral sources to transform the community’s understanding of living well through serious illness. & Architected a strategy that turned Jefferson County into an \"island of excellence\" for end-of-life care. Since 2007, hospice referrals grew +136.5% and average daily census jumped +490.1%. This momentum fueled the 2011 construction of our state-of-the-art inpatient center and a 2023 expansion into Northern Dodge County. By combining market intelligence with data analytics, I led our team to a 71.4% Medicare hospice utilization rate—ranking #1 in Wisconsin and Top 20 nationally in 2024. My focus is on demystifying care through strategic communication, ensuring \"hope\" is always paired with a plan- Launched a community-based palliative care program in 2016 that has seen exponential in referrals and a +969.9% increase in average daily census. This model shifts the focus from reactive medical crisis to proactive wellness, & : Co-produced (2009-14) and collaborated with (2023) for public television: Led the 2023-24 organizational transition to : Co-authored (2024), a roadmap for wellness in later life stages: Produced an 8-minute palliative care educational video in 2026.
EDUCATION
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Bachelor of Science - BS, Communication
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Master of Arts - MA, Communication
SKILLS
ABOUT MICHAEL BERNHAGEN
My career began in curative care, where success was defined by market share and clinical volume at and the. Over time, I recognized a critical gap: while American medicine excels at fighting disease, it often underperforms in supporting the person approaching end of life.For nearly 20 years at, I have led strategies that close that gap—evolving from business development into enterprise-level community engagement and growth leadership. My work centers on demystifying through data-informed storytelling, system alignment, and measurable outcomes—ensuring hope is always paired with a plan.Whether lecturing at the – or partnering with clinical and executive leaders, my focus remains consistent: expand access, elevate understanding, and help people live well to the end: Designed and executed a growth strategy achieving a 71.4% Medicare hospice utilization rate—#1 in Wisconsin and Top 20 nationally (2024). & : Drove +490% growth in hospice ADC and +970% growth in palliative care ADC, enabling geographic expansion into Northern Dodge County and development of a state-of-the-art inpatient facility: Increased average daily census from 37•••07) to 400+(2026), significantly expanding end-of-life access across rural communities. & : Co-produced the Emmy-nominated series (2009–2014) and collaborated with (2023) to advance the national dialogue on public television. & : Led the 2023–24 transition from Rainbow Hospice Care to, repositioning the organization from a hospice provider to a comprehensive “living well” community-based care model: Co-authored “ : ’ ” (2024) and produced “ ” (2026).
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