Important update regarding Society’s April events

The Wisconsin Medical Society values the exceptional work and dedication of health care professionals. The health and safety of our members, attendees, employees and community is our top priority. Due to the recent pandemic designation of COVID-19 by the World Health Organization and the declaration of a public health emergency by Governor Evers, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the annual CME event and Foundation fundraising dinner scheduled April 17-18. Efforts to protect the well-being of our health professionals and communities is paramount, and with the known and unknown risks involved in this public health crisis cancelling events that include a significant number of medical professionals from across the state is prudent.

If you registered for the education conference, Navigating the Transition Zone: From adolescence through young adulthood, your conference registration fee will be refunded. You will be contacted regarding a refund for the Foundation event, Raising Hope: Fostering a healthy tomorrow. The Foundation’s silent auction will be held as an online auction – watch for details on how to participate. If you made a reservation at the Hilton Monona Terrace you do not need to reach out; your reservation will be automatically cancelled. If you made hotel reservations elsewhere, please contact that hotel for cancellation.

There will not be an in-person House of Delegates meeting on April 19—the Society is making every effort to host the House of Delegates virtually. A decision pertaining to this will be finalized the week of March 16. Society staff is working with district leaders to provide a remote option for the upcoming District Caucus meetings. The Reference Committees will be held via webinar on March 28. Additional details and webinar links can be found here.

The Wisconsin Medical Society is well-positioned for staff to work remotely as needed in order to serve our members.

We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your dedication to the health of your patients and community. Please reach out to membership@wismed.org or call 800.762.8975 if you have questions.

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Caucus meetings underway

Society Districts 3, 6 and 7 have come together at their Caucus meetings this week to discuss resolutions that will be acted on by the House of Delegates. The remaining District Caucus meetings are listed below. Click here for details and to RSVP.

• District 1: Wednesday, March 25, 6 p.m. – via webinar
• District 2: Sunday, March 22, 10 a.m. – RSVP for webinar
• District 4: Thursday, March 19, 6:30 p.m. – via webinar
• District 5: Wednesday, March 18, 6 p.m. – via webinar
• District 8: Thursday, March 26, 6:30 p.m. – via webinar

If you would like to provide feedback on the resolutions, please log into WisMed Community* and participate in the Virtual Reference Committee. The Reference Committee hearings will be held via webinar on Saturday, March 28.

Watch for upcoming Medigram articles for more information about these options.

*WisMed Community is a members-only resource and will require you to log in. For questions or assistance please contact Anne Hauer.

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COVID-19 update

Earlier this week the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and just yesterday Gov. Tony Evers proclaimed a public health emergency for the state in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. All of this is on top of the $10 million in funds Wisconsin received from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, President Trump held a primetime address Wednesday evening declaring a 30-day ban on travel for foreign nationals entering the U.S. from Europe (with the exception of the United Kingdom), a fiscal stimulus package and that health insurance companies have agreed to cover COVID-19 testing.

Additional resources are available from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, which has compiled a list of continuing educational opportunities regarding the novel coronavirus. These educational activities are intended to educate the clinician community and improve the amount of resources readily available to the health care team. Following the compilation of accredited CME activities is a list of helpful resources and in-depth information concerning the virus.

Staff will continue to track the development of the COVID-19 outbreak, and for the most up to date information on COVID-19 update please check the CDC and Wisconsin Department of Health Services sites.

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