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Physician shortage deepens across state

New physician workforce report finds primary care docs in high demand

Madison (November 10)—The wait to see a doctor could get longer if projections on the supply of and demand for physicians are accurate. According to a report released today by the Wisconsin Council on Medical Education and Workforce (WCMEW), recruiting physicians is more difficult than ever before, and the situation is expected to worsen.

One of its most alarming findings in the report titled “Who Will Care For Our Patients?” is that Wisconsin is short nearly 374 primary care physicians across 31 counties. Milwaukee alone currently needs 20 additional primary care physicians to meet inner city demands. Experts say this shortage can create a bottleneck in the health care system.

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Wisconsin Medical Society Board passes new physician gift policy

Updated policy will bolster trust in physician-patient relationship

Madison (October 16)—The Wisconsin Medical Society’s Board of Directors approved changes to Society policy regarding physician gifts at its meeting October 11. The policy, ETH-004: The Relationship of the Profession to the Health Product Industry, states:

“Physicians shall accept no gifts from any provider of products that they prescribe to their patients such as personal items, office supplies, food, travel and time costs, or payment for participation in on-line CME. A complete ban eases the burdens of compliance, biased decision making, and patient distrust.”

The policy cites a Journal of the American Medical Association article (JAMA 2006:295;429-433) detailing the effect such gifts can have on the trust in the physician-patient relationship. With that article as a guide, ETH-004 also provides examples of ethical behavior in the areas of handling drug samples, physicians serving on formulary committees or speaker bureaus, and how the industry can still support needed CME offerings.

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New Web site posts over 500 Wisconsin physician vacancies

Madison (October 14)—For physicians seeking career opportunities in Wisconsin, the search just got easier. A new Web site, www.wisconsinphysiciancareers.org, offers a comprehensive resource that features career opportunities available to physicians in Wisconsin’s clinics, hospitals, and in academic medicine. The Web site is exclusive to Wisconsin and lists only physician career opportunities.

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Society, nurses, WPS partner with domestic violence and sexual assault advocates for ‘Health Cares About Violence Against Women Day 2008’

Madison (October 7)—The Wisconsin Medical Society teamed up with state coalitions against domestic violence and sexual assault along with other health care and women’s organizations today in announcing activities in recognition of the 12th annual “Health Cares About Violence Against Women Day.”

The Society was joined by WPS Health Insurance, Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Wisconsin Nurses Association and Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation for a press conference at WPS that urged increased screening by health care professionals for signs of domestic violence in their patients.

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Has ‘Doctor heal thyself’ gone too far?

Madison (October 1)—American Medical Association guidelines state flatly, “Physicians should generally not treat themselves or members of their immediate family.” Yet a scientific paper published in the latest issue of the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Volume 107, No. 6) suggests a great many physicians do just that, quite possibly to their detriment.

“In the United States and Europe, from 52% to 90% of physicians report prescribing medications for themselves,” writes Edward J. Krall, MD, of the Department of Behavioral Health, Marshfield Clinic. Doctor Krall states that previous research has found anywhere from 29%-44% of physicians lack a personal physician themselves or fail to receive regular medical care.

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The study is published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Volume 107, No. 6). It’s available here.

Breast reconstruction rates low, despite proven safety record

Madison (September 29)—Attitudes and biases of referring surgeons account for at least part of the reason for low (5%-15%) breast reconstruction rates in Wisconsin among mastectomy patients, according to a study published in the latest issue of the Wisconsin Medical Journal(Volume 107, No. 6).

“Referring general surgeons have biases that affect the discussion they have with patients about reconstruction,” the authors write. They are from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and the Division of Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. They surveyed 369 general surgeons in Wisconsin regarding breast surgery, with a 36 percent response rate. Eighty-four percent were male. In other studies, women surgeons tend to have a much higher referral rate for reconstruction.

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The study is published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Volume 107, No. 6). It’s available here.

No Court decision August 25 on IPFCF lawsuit

Madison (August 25)—Oral arguments were held today in the Society’s lawsuit to overturn the State’s raid on the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund, and the Society is optimistic that the State will be ordered to restore the $200 million taken plus interest. Dane County Circuit Court Judge Michael Nowakowski could have ruled on the matter today, but chose to defer his decision; no specific date was indicated.

“The Fund’s assets are not general revenue. These dollars are held in a trust for the benefit of injured patients, their families and contributing health care professionals,” said Society President Steven Bergin, MD. “The Fund is not a piggy bank the State can tap into.”

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