Complimentary wellness appointment for WisMed members

Mental wellness matters at the Wisconsin Medical Society, especially in the demanding health care world. That's why we've partnered with Marvin to offer complimentary one-on-one wellness check-ins during the week of October 23-27. These private appointments will be with a licensed therapist from Marvin Behavioral Health, specifically trained for health care workers.

Schedule your free appointment today to secure a spot!

Marvin respects your time - all check-ins are 30 minutes or less. This complimentary, confidential wellness check-in is designed to:

• Connect you with a licensed therapist. Discover how to manage stress, work-life balance, relationships and more.
• Discuss resources available from Marvin Behavioral Health, including weekly sessions with 24/7 availability.
• Explore how wellness check-ins give you a confidential space to spend a few minutes on yourself. Wellness check-ins are a benefit and not a requirement.

Thank you for all you do to care for your patients and communities!

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Thank you to everyone who contributed to GO PAC GO

Congratulations to the defending champs of District 7 for pulling ahead in the fourth quarter to win GO PAC GO for the third year in a row with $5,600! Donn Dexter, MD, of District 7 is the MVP for the final quarter.

District 2 came in second with $4,747. A huge thanks to Dan Bennett, MD, and Dr. Dexter for matching their teams’ contributions in the final quarters!

Thank you to the contributors below for contributing to this fun, fall fundraising event for WISMedPAC. The Government Relations team will be heading to Eau Claire to present their third trophy and celebrate their commitment to Wisconsin Medical Society advocacy.

You can contribute to WISMedPAC or WISMedDIRECT at any time and we have a variety of committees, councils and task forces that you can join if you’re looking for other ways to get involved. Just complete the online form and let us know your interests.

Please contact Heidi Green at 608.358.6116 with any questions.

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Nominate a young physician and superhero of medicine by November 1

The Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation (Foundation) is seeking nominations for the Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., MD, Young Physician Leadership Award and the Superhero of Medicine Award, which will be presented at the Foundation’s Annual Dinner on April 5, 2024 in Madison. Nominations are due November 1.

The Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., MD, Young Physician Award was established in 2006 in memory of Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., MD, who was an active volunteer in his community and an advocate for patients and the profession of medicine at the state and national levels. Consider nominating a young physician who has demonstrated a commitment to their patients, the community and the profession of medicine. A young physician is defined as a licensed Wisconsin physician, who is less than 40 years old or in the first eight years of practice after residency and fellowship training. The nomination form can be found here. 

The Superhero of Medicine Award recognizes Wisconsin physicians who live out the mission of the Foundation to an exemplary degree, going above and beyond to improve the health of their patients and/or community. Superheroes of Medicine work passionately to help individual patients and/or fight to improve health by reducing barriers to care and improving health education, prevention or treatment. Preference is given to Wisconsin Medical Society member physicians involved in a program of the Foundation or a project supported by the Foundation through a grant or other partnership. Both the nominating physician and the nominee must be licensed Wisconsin physicians. To nominate a physician Superhero of Medicine, click here.

In addition to presenting the recipients with an engraved award, the Foundation will make a contribution to the charitable organization chosen by the awardee.

For more information on these awards, contact Elizabeth Ringle at 608.442.3789. The nomination deadline is November 1.

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Apply for a Wisconsin Medical Society office by January 3 - get involved

Applications are being accepted for several Wisconsin Medical Society (WisMed) offices, and all nomination materials are due to the WisMed Nominating Committee by Wednesday, January 3, 2024.

Candidates are sought for the following offices:

• President-Elect for 2025-2025
• AMA Delegate for 2025 and 2026 (two positions) – Tosha Wetterneck, MD, of Madison (incumbent, eligible for reelection; 2025 and 2026); Barbara Hummel, MD, of Milwaukee (incumbent, eligible for reelection; 2025 and 2026)
• AMA Alternate Delegate for 2024, 2025 and 2026 (three positions) – Corey Cronrath, DO of Eau Claire (incumbent, eligible for reelection; 2025 and 2026); Tony Thrasher, DO of Milwaukee (incumbent, eligible for reelection; 2025 and 2026); vacant position open for 2024 and 2025

All candidates must submit:

• a curriculum vitae not to exceed three pages
• a cover letter no longer than one page
• a completed candidate questionnaire for the office the candidate is seeking
• the candidate questionnaire form for AMA Delegate and AMA Alternate Delegate
• the President-elect candidate questionnaire form
• a completed Disclosure of Significant Affiliations (conflict of interest) form

The Nominating Committee will meet Friday, January 19, 2024, at 4 p.m. via Zoom. The Committee will interview and evaluate the candidates for WisMed offices and prepare a slate of nominees for presentation to the membership.

Those serving on 2023-2024 Nominating Committee are:

• District 1—Arthur Angove, DO; Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD; David Galbis-Reig, MD; Joshua Gershtenson, MD; Cynthia Jones-Nosacek, MD; Anthony Rieder, MD; Robert Ripenhoff; David Tylicki, MD; Katheryn Hope Wilkinson
• District 2—Delaine Anderson; Amy Doherty, DO; Michael Grajewski, MD; Sophie Kramer, MD; Natalie Wheeler, MD
• District 3—Hilary Bingol, MD; Michael White, DO
• District 4—Lopa Kabir-Islam, MD; Michele Montgomery, MD
• District 5—Joanne Pasiuk, MD
• District 6—Bradley Burmeister, MD; Kenneth Pechman, MD
• District 7—Brandon Hidaka, MD, PhD
• District 8—Leo Bay, MD
• Specialty Sections—Leslie Abitz, MD
• Resident/Fellow—Isha Jain, MD
• Medical Students—TBD, Medical College of Wisconsin; Greigory Dimailig, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Communications to the Nominating Committee should be addressed to Mike Flesher, CEO, Wisconsin Medical Society, PO Box 1109, Madison, WI 53701. Communications also can be emailed to Stephanie Taylor. Access the candidate questionnaire for AMA Delegate and AMA Alternate Delegate or President-elect and the conflict of interest form.

Note: WisMed will post the completed candidate questionnaire and cover letter on the Society’s website. WisMed will post the conflict-of-interest form of all candidates selected by the Nominating Committee as nominees on the website after nomination by the Committee.

For questions or more information, email Stephanie Taylor.

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War and money – what should you do?

The financial markets have been through wars before. There’s historical evidence of what we can expect this time too. However, charts and analytics aren’t what’s important today.

The stories and images coming from Israel are hard to watch. They also put into perspective what’s important for us. We build our finances, not for the sake of being rich. Rather, we use our resources to take care of our families and those we care about.

Today, my kid’s daily hug is going to be extra tight. The casual “Love ya, hon.” I say to my wife will be replaced with looking her in the eyes and telling her how much she means to me. My parents will get an extra phone call.

Yes, investing is important, but not nearly as important as the investment we put in other people.

For personalized help with your financial plan, please contact Mark Ziety, CFP®, AIF® 608.442.3750.

Mark Ziety, CFP®, AIF®
WisMed Financial, Inc. part of the Wisconsin Medical Society.  

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial or tax advice. Please consult with a qualified financial advisor or tax professional before making any financial decisions.

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Medicare updates from the AMA

Help us help you to update Medicare Physician Payment!

The American Medical Association (AMA) Physician Practice Information (PPI) Survey is underway, and we urgently need all selected physicians to actively engage in this effort. The intent of the survey, which has been endorsed by more than 170 medical societies and other health care associations (see full list here), is to collect updated and accurate data on practice costs which are a key element of physician payment. These data have not been updated since last collected more than 15 years ago and it is critically important it is updated to ensure accurate payment.

See here for more information about this survey.

Mathematica, a well-regarded consulting firm, is helping the AMA run this survey. Your practice may receive an email (from ppisurvey@mathematica-mpr.com) and an USPS priority mail packet from Mathematica that contained a link to the survey as well as supporting information. We urge you to speak with your practice management colleagues to determine if they have received these communications and ask them to complete this important survey. In the coming weeks or months, your practice, or Mathematica, may ask you to complete a brief survey on the number of weekly hours spent on direct patient care. We urge you to complete this two-minute survey.  

What’s next with Medicare payment reform – AMA webinar

Payment cuts and temporary fixes have become predictable in Medicare physician payment over the past decade—leaving physician practices and patient access to care at serious risk. We’re working to change that by urging lawmakers to work with the physician community to permanently reform the system. Congress needs to establish a permanent, annual inflationary Medicare physician payment update that keeps up with the cost of practicing medicine and encourages practice innovation. 

Register now for the AMA Advocacy Insights webinar, “What’s next with Medicare payment reform,” on Friday, November 3 at 1 p.m. to hear about:

• Where Medicare payment reform stands now
• How the AMA, alongside state and national medical specialty societies, is pushing for permanent payment reform
• How you can get involved in these advocacy efforts

Moderator:

• Willie Underwood III, MD, MSc, MPH, Chair, AMA Board of Trustees

Speakers:

• G. Ray Callas, MD, President Elect, Texas Medical Association
• Katie Orrico, Senior Vice President, Health Policy and Advocacy, American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons
• Todd Askew, Senior Vice President, Advocacy, American Medical Association

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