Christine Zirtzlaff
Christine Zirtzlaff is a seasoned healthcare quality and patient engagement professional with over 16 years of experience driving improvements in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, and patient-centered care. She is the CEO of Powerful Wellness, overseeing quality reporting, care coordination, risk adjustment, and utilization monitoring for a network of over 1,200 providers and 80 primary care clinics. Her expertise spans HEDIS and Medicare quality measures, collaborative leadership, and workflow optimization, with a focus on translating complex healthcare data into actionable clinical initiatives. Christine’s career began in nursing, where she advanced from Certified Nursing Assistant to RN, specializing in hospital-based care including OBGYN services. Her clinical experience laid the foundation for her transition into quality management, first as Director of Quality and Patient Safety at Watertown Regional Medical Center and later leading quality and clinical services at Independent Physicians Network. Christine has successfully managed quality processes across commercial, Medicaid, and Medicare lines of business, supporting Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and healthcare providers in delivering cost-effective, patient-centered care. Beyond her healthcare expertise, Christine is a certified social media marketer, leveraging digital platforms to enhance patient engagement and health literacy. She combines her knowledge of data, process improvement, and social media to create innovative strategies that empower patients, improve outcomes, and decrease healthcare costs. Christine’s philosophy centers on collaboration, flexibility, and following a patient-centered instinct, reflecting her commitment to building healthier communities and fostering meaningful connections between providers and patients.
• MBA
• BSN
• RN
• University of Phoenix - MBA
• Virginia Commonwealth University
• Wytheville Community College
• Distinguished Young Women of Wisconsin
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my flexibility and adaptability. My career has spanned from bedside nursing to clinic nursing, education, and healthcare quality management. I have embraced each transition as an opportunity to grow. In my current role, I oversee quality initiatives and population health management across multiple healthcare programs, continuously striving to improve outcomes and deliver exceptional care.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this field is to remain flexible and open-minded. Nursing offers far more opportunities than just bedside care, and being willing to explore different paths can lead to rewarding and diverse career experiences.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are reliability, accountability, and supporting those around me. I take pride in ensuring that everything runs smoothly and that my team is well-supported. In my role, I oversee care coordination, patient disease management, high-risk management, and complex case management, and I find fulfillment in knowing that these critical processes are effectively managed under my guidance.