What can physicians do to improve the independent nursing bill?

 

Now that legislation (2023 Senate Bill 145) allowing certain advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to practice independently has passed the state Senate, advocacy activity toward improving the bill moves to the state Assembly. Physicians now have the opportunity to emphasize to their state Assembly representative about important improvements the bill needs in order to be more acceptable for patient care in Wisconsin. Contacts are needed as soon as possible, as the Assembly Committee on Health, Aging, and Long-Term Care may hold a public hearing on the bill as soon as next week.

The three improvements:

• Require four years of real world, practical clinical experience before allowing an APRN to practice independently.
• Ensure that APRNs engaging in pain medicine while practicing outside of a hospital or health system have a collaborative agreement with a physician who specializes in pain management.
• Include title protection safeguards to ensure only physicians can use terms historically designating physician specialties, such as “anesthesiologist,” “radiologist,” “pediatrician,” etc.

Now is the perfect time for physicians to contact their state Assembly representative to request these reasonable amendments to the independent nursing legislation. You can find the contact information for your state Assembly representative at the state Legislature’s home page and typing your address in the “Who Are My Legislators?” box.

Contact WisMed Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer Mark Grapentine, JD for more information.

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Make a difference: WisMed Social Media Subcommittee needs you!

As a Wisconsin Medical Society (WisMed) member you have the opportunity to participate in committees, councils and task forces that align with your passions. We encourage you to get involved and grow your leadership skills, build your resume, network with colleagues from around the state and contribute to WisMed’s mission to improve the health of the people of Wisconsin by supporting and strengthening physicians' ability to practice high-quality patient care in a changing environment.

Our Social Media Subcommittee is seeking additional members to continue to make WisMed a strong and vital organization. As a member of this committee, you will:

• Make WisMed more visible via our social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn)
• Help raise awareness of WisMed offerings and events, member accomplishments, membership benefits, advocacy initiatives and more
• Develop tactics to increase users and engagement across all social media platforms and the WisMed mobile app

The Social Media Subcommittee meets virtually approximately six times each year and is comprised of a wide variety of Wisconsin physicians – in specialty, careers stage and geography. Members do not need to be well-versed in all areas of social media, just a willingness to explore and share ideas and engage with WisMed online.

If you are interested in serving on the Social Media Subcommittee, please contact WisMed Marketing and Communications Director Haley Gilman at [email protected] to learn more.

The Social Media Subcommittee is just one of the ways you can get involved. We have a wide variety of committees, councils and task forces. Complete the online form and let us know your interests!

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Physician Leadership Summit unites Wisconsin health care leaders to focus on physician wellness, health care quality

The Wisconsin Medical Society (WisMed) was proud to host the annual Physician Leadership Summit October 19-21 at the Red Crown Lodge in beautiful Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin.

Physician Leaders representing practices and systems from across the state attended. WisMed physician leadership was well-represented with Board Chair Jerry Halverson, MD, President Don Lee, MD, President-elect Cynthia Hart, MD, and CEO Mike Flesher.

The three-day event was filled with idea sharing, presentations, networking and a fantastic opportunity to mingle with colleagues surrounded by the beautiful fall colors at their peak. Valuable conversations were had revolving around Physician Wellness, Workforce, Mergers, Quality, Rural Health Needs and Legislative Topics to name just a few.

We were especially honored to have nationally renowned speakers Brent James, MD, MStat, FACPE, present Leading Clinical Change and Christine Sinsky, MD, present Fixing the Workplace, Not the Worker. 

From the Wisconsin perspective, Jacob Prunuske, MD, MSPH, from Medical College of Wisconsin kicked off the event with a fireside chat about Residents and Medical Education. Kenneth Schellhase, MD, MPH, provided an update on the Wisconsin Health Literacy Medication Label initiative, Scott Rathgaber, MD, MASL, CEO of Gundersen Health spoke about how to maintain and accelerate quality performance during a merger and Tim Bartholow, MD, provided an excellent summary of the Quality Initiatives going on throughout the state. 

Several quotes from this year’s attendees include:

"Loved the insight into maintaining or improving quality while navigating significant organizational change."

"Stellar presenter with extraordinary audience engagement. I have greater insights to the pain points physician leaders are experiencing at the health systems which will help me prioritize my work. Truly one of THE best that WisMed does for the physician leaders of Wis. and a great investment in our physician leaders."

"Collegiality and great discussions as well as a perfect place to have it."

"The speakers, the networking, Red Crown were all terrific."

"Love the setting, connecting with colleagues and re-centering on leadership growth topics."

We greatly appreciate the attendees and speakers and we again thank our sponsors, as without their support, WisMed would not be able to host this event. Our sponsors were Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, United Health Care, WPS, Wisconsin Health Literacy, WisMed Assure and WisMed Financial.

It was wonderful to be with colleagues comprised of influential decision makers throughout the state. Planning for the 2024 Physician Leadership Summit at The Red Crown is already underway.

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MCW-Green Bay students inspire kids to be healthy and consider careers in health and medicine with Prescription for a Healthy You

There was no school on Friday, October 27 in Green Bay and that led to a fun-filled morning for Green Bay Boys and Girls Club members who got to hang out with Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW)-Green Bay students who shared the Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation’s Prescription for a Healthy You Program. Prescription for a Healthy You encourages kids to get active, eat healthy, be mindful, drink water for thirst and consider careers in health and medicine.

MCW-Green Bay student leaders Hannah Wheeler and Allison Eierman coordinated the event. The club members were able to learn about keeping their bodies healthy and see human organs, including a stomach and intestines to see how bodies digest food and process waste. The MCW students also shared the importance of helmets and concussion awareness by showing a brain and how it fits into the skull.

“Ewwww spinach” quickly changed to “Oh, that’s not so bad” once mixed into a smoothie. One of the stations the club members visited focused on healthy eating and how vegetables should be what we eat most during the day. The medical student volunteers showed the kids how you can add spinach and other vegetables to a smoothie. They could try a veggie smoothie and a fruit smoothie, and many of the kids were surprised by how good the vegetable smoothie was.

To ward off any chance of brain freeze, the group moved on to learn about hydration with a competitive game of hydration freeze tag. The only way to be “unfrozen” was for someone with a water bottle to come hydrate you. Some of the Boys and Girls Club staff joined in the games to help keep everyone hydrated.

After running off some of the wiggles, we were on to yoga and mindfulness. We discussed and labeled some of our emotions and feelings. The medical students provided the club members with different photos and asked which ones elicited feelings of peace and happiness and some that made them sad or frustrated. Yoga poses and breathing exercises were introduced to help process some feelings and ways to calm yourself if you are overwhelmed or stressed.

We capped off the morning with a group Q and A session, where the club members were able to ask the medical students about what specialties they were most interested in, their ages and what they liked to do when they aren’t studying. The interest and smiles from the members were a great send-off.

If you would like more information about the Prescription for a Healthy You program, please contact Jaime Craig at [email protected]. Your gifts to the Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation’s Brighter Future Club help kids develop healthy habits that last a lifetime and to consider following in the footsteps of our medical and health professionals to fill our future health care workforce needs. You can donate here.

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All tricks, no treats: cyber security haunts Wisconsin health care

October was National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Health care is one of the top 3 targeted industries for cyber threats because hospitals and clinics are both critical infrastructure and host a trove of personal health information (PHI) and personal financial information (PFI) for predators to target.

Wisconsin is not immune. The team at WisMed Assure is often called into action on cyber threats to our health care clients. When a hospital or clinic administrator is faced with a potential security breach, malware, Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) complaint or system shut down, their first question is “Who ya gonna call?” to quote Ghostbusters. Cyber Liability Insurance offers that first line of response and defense.

In August, HSHS, Prevea experienced a “systemwide technical outage…the result of a cybersecurity incident” that was incredibly disruptive to critical systems and communications, including phone lines and patient scheduling.

Becker’s Healthcare published this October 20, 2023 article Ransomware attacks might increase in-hospital mortality by up to 35%. It noted, “Cyberattacks can disrupt care for weeks and cost hospitals millions. Attacks have more than doubled between 2016 and 2021, exposing tens of millions of patients’ health information and forcing facilities to divert and delay care. Within the first week of an attack, hospital volume falls by 17-25%, the research found.”

Cyber liability is not a fictional boogeyman, and it’s not just the large systems that are impacted. Independent clinics, physicians and practices that utilize the electronic medical records (EMR) of a larger system experience patient and business income disruption when those systems are disrupted. Any health care professional who has access to an EMR that contains PHI and PFI has potential liability and potential for their own business interruption.

Cyber liability insurance is no longer a luxury coverage, it is a critical tool to protect your reputation, income and patient care. Cyber liability coverage that is included as an “add on” benefit to other types of insurance like a Medical Office Package policy or Professional Liability or Management Liability insurance provides some protection, but it is not adequate for most circumstances. The broadest coverage is found in a dedicated Cyber Liability Information Security and Privacy policy with an insurance carrier that is experienced in and dedicated to the health care industry. These policies are not standard and require the consultation of an insurance agent who works with medical practices and health care organizations.

For more information, contact your WisMed Assure Agent or WisMed Assure President, Shawna Bertalot at 608.442.3738 or [email protected].

WisMed Assure is the Wisconsin Medical Society’s insurance agency – profits earned support the mission of the Medical Society.

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as insurance advice related to your specific policy or situation. Please consult with a qualified insurance advisor or professional before making any policy decisions. Full disclaimer and contact information.

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Celebrate your colleagues – nominate a 2024 Physician Citizen of the Year

The Wisconsin Medical Society (WisMed) is accepting nominations for its 2024 Physician Citizen of the Year Award. First established by WisMed in 1982, the award recognizes and encourages Wisconsin physicians who volunteer their time and talents through civic and cultural activities—helping to improve the health and well-being of their communities.

Please nominate a friend, colleague or personal physician for this award. Complete the nomination form here. The nomination deadline is December 31, 2023.

Previous Physician Citizen of the Year recipients include Douglas Davis, MD of Oregon (2023), William Finlayson, MD of Milwaukee (2023), Adedayo Onitilo, MD, PhD, MSCR, FACP of Weston (2023), Michelle Clark-Frosting, MD of Alma Center (2021); Jose Ortiz, MD of Eau Claire (2020); Kenneth Gold, MD of Beloit (2019); Gloria Halverson, MD of Milwaukee (2018); Paul Durbin, MD of Racine and Tim Westlake, MD of Oconomowoc (2017); Michael Ostrov, MD, MS of Madison (2016); Steven Manson, MD of La Crosse (2015); and Gordon Haugan, MD of Green Bay (2014).

For more information, contact Stephanie Taylor.

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Latest issue of WMJ focuses on medical education

Medical education is the focus of several articles in the latest issue of WMJ, which also includes original a review of age-appropriate cancer screening through a dermatology lens, plus brief reports on adult suicide rates in Milwaukee County, weight stigma in medical care and more.

Read the full issue here.

Subscribe to WMJ and submit a manuscript here.

WMJ (the Wisconsin Medical Journal) is a peer-reviewed, indexed, scientific journal published quarterly and online ahead of print each month.

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WisMed beanie, tumbler now available; WisMed Perks to start your holiday planning

Get ready for winter with a Wisconsin Medical Society (WisMed) beanie, tumbler or fleece. Check out the new items in our apparel store here. Additionally, WisMed members can access vendor discounts on a variety of products and services, including technology, travel and more through WisMed Perks. Below are a few examples.

Tech and Electronics

Gifting season is here! Bring smiles with the best tech gifts from Lenovo’s Yoga, Legion, Tablets and IdeaPad laptops to headphones, webcams, portable speakers and more. Click here to learn more or if you need assistance with purchases, call 1.800.426.7235 (M-F: 8 am – 8 pm, Sat: 8 am – 5 pm). Be sure to check the website often – special offers change frequently.

Travel Savings Center

WisMed members have access to exclusive travel savings from car rentals, hotels, and ticketing discounts to condos, villas, cruises, guided tours and group travel packages. Find exclusive savings from brands like Avis and Budget, Wyndham, Collette and member-exclusive hotel discount aggregators.

Check back often for new providers and promotions! Whether you simply want to get from here to there or make your dream vacation a reality, WisMed members have all the tools right at your fingertips. Learn more here.

Car rental deals with Avis and Budget

Make the most of your summer travel plans with this limited-time offer on car rentals. Through July 31, WisMed members that spend at least $175 when booking a minimum consecutive three-day rental with Avis or Budget will save on base rates. Terms apply.

To make a reservation with Avis, click here and use your Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number A672086.

To book with Budget, click here and use your Budget Customer Discount (BCD) number B079592. 

Hotel Discounts

Planning your summer travel? Hotel Engine is a free and exclusive members-only hotel booking platform that connects WisMed members to deeply discounted hotel rates. Take advantage of an average of 26% off public rates at more than 150K+ hotels; no contracts, annual fees, or minimum spends; and superior 24/7, U.S.-based customer support. Sign up for free at members.hotelengine.com/join/wismed101.

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