Latest News

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Society expresses sympathy for Haiti, encourages support for relief efforts

Madison (January 20, 2010)— “The earthquake that struck Haiti on January 5 was a true tragedy, leaving thousands of people injured and creating a public health crisis that demands our attention and assistance. On behalf of the physicians of the Wisconsin Medical Society, I would like to express our deepest sympathy to the earthquake victims and their families and offer a message of hope as aid workers from across the globe work to provide food, shelter and medical care.

“The Society is also encouraging its members and the public to support international relief and response efforts, including those of the U.S. government, in this time of need. We have developed a special page on our website that lists charities providing aid to Haiti, and we are monitoring the need for medical volunteers and supplies at this time. As additional opportunities to help arise, we will communicate them through our website and newsletters.

“We value this opportunity to lend a hand to those in need and will continue keep the victims of this disaster in our thoughts.”

Statement attributable to Robert Jaeger, MD, President, Wisconsin Medical Society.

Wisconsin Medical Society ‘very pleased’ with Supreme Court’s decision to hear case

Madison (January 14, 2010).—The Wisconsin Medical Society (Society), representing more than 12,000 physicians statewide, is pleased with the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision to hear Wisconsin Medical Society, Inc. and David M. Hoffmann, MD v. Michael L. Morgan. This case has statewide implications and the Court’s resolution of the issues will affect injured patients, health care professionals and Wisconsin’s medical liability environment.

The Society filed suit in October 2007 following enactment of legislation that took $200 million from the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund (Fund) to help balance the state’s budget. The Society appealed a Dane County Circuit Court decision upholding the raid, and in December, the Court of Appeals issued a Certification requesting that the Supreme Court accept the case.

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Wisconsin Medical Journal: New study examines tobacco use among Wisconsin’s Hmong Americans

Madison (January 14, 2010)—Educational achievement and household exposure to cigarettes are strong predictors of tobacco use for Wisconsin’s Hmong population, as is the amount of time spent adapting to American culture, according to new study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Vol. 108, No. 9).

Researchers from Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the La Crosse County Health Department surveyed Hmong youth and adults in 14 different Wisconsin communities and found that almost one-third of youth ages 12 to 17 had tried tobacco and that 15 percent use tobacco every day. Youth who had lived in the United States the longest were the most likely to have used tobacco products.

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Wisconsin Medical Journal: Wisconsin isn’t immune to dengue fever

Madison (December 29, 2009)—Travelers from Wisconsin may return home from a variety of tropical locations with dengue fever, a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes, according to new study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Vol. 108, No. 9).

A team of epidemiologists from the Bureau of Communicable Diseases at the Wisconsin Division of Public Health (DPH) found that between 2002 and 2008, 32 cases of dengue fever were reported among Wisconsin residents who had traveled to popular vacation destinations in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The team determined these numbers by analyzing patient data from local health departments and the DPH. Each dengue infection was confirmed with blood tests and was diagnosed by a Wisconsin physician after the patient returned home.

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Beaver Dam physician named 2009 Physician Citizen of the Year

Madison (November 20, 2009)—The Wisconsin Medical Society has named Edward Cody, MD, its 2009 Physician Citizen of the Year. He received the award last night at the Dodge County Medical Society (CMS) meeting in Beaver Dam. A family physician who retired in May after 30 years in practice with Medical Associates of Beaver Dam, Dr. Cody was recognized for his numerous volunteer efforts.

“There are many ways physicians can and do get involved in their communities to make a difference in the lives of their patients,” said Wisconsin Medical Society President Robert Jaeger, MD. “But Doctor Cody’s efforts are truly inspiring. The breadth of his involvement and commitment to his community make him an outstanding role model for all of us seeking to make our own communities stronger, safer and healthier.”

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Wisconsin Medical Society launches performance improvement initiative utilizing WHIO data

Madison (November 16, 2009)—The Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO) today launched a campaign to encourage health care purchasers, payers and agents to use its Health Analytics Exchange, a centralized data mart of health care claims information.

The Wisconsin Medical Society, a founding member of WHIO, also announced an initiative today to transform this data into a vital performance improvement resource for physicians that will lead to better patient care in Wisconsin.

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Wisconsin Medical Journal: Stronger graduated driver’s licensing programs save lives, prevent injuries in Midwest

Madison (November 13, 2009)—A new study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Vol. 108, No. 8) shows that three-stage graduated driver’s licensing (GDL) policies save lives and prevent injuries throughout the Midwest. The research also shows how states could save more teen lives and avoid thousands of teen motor vehicle injuries by modifying their GDL policies to include new, proven components.

A team of researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Injury Research Center and the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin studied GDL policies and five years of vehicle crash data from six states—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin—and found that more than 300 deaths could have been prevented if each of these states had included evidence-based modifications to their GDL programs.

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Wisconsin Medical Journal: Researchers find rare but dangerous rural fungal disease in Milwaukee

Madison (November 10, 2009)—Blastomycosis, a potentially fatal fungal infection, has typically been associated with rural northern Wisconsin. However, according to new research published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Vol. 108, No. 8), it’s also a disease that affects city dwellers.

A team of researchers from the Center for Urban Population Health, the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and several other institutions studied 68 cases of the illness from urban southeastern Wisconsin from 2002 to 2007 and found that residents of this region may acquire blastomycosis there, sometimes without a specific outdoor exposure source.

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Wisconsin Medical Journal: Off-label medication use prevalent among children due to lack of FDA guidelines

Madison (October 20, 2009)—Despite passage of the federal Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA) in 2002, most medications being prescribed to children who are very sick are not properly tested for pediatric use, according to new research published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Vol. 108, No. 7).

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health studied doctors’ prescribing trends in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) over the course of a year and discovered that prescribing guidelines approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were unavailable for more than 65% of the most common medications given to patients under age 18, including morphine and fentanyl. In fact, of the five medications most commonly prescribed to children in this PICU, only acetaminophen has FDA-approved guidelines in all age categories.

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Wisconsin Medical Journal: Risk of fatal alcohol-related car accidents greater in rural areas, study finds

Madison (October 8, 2009)—Several recent studies have shown that some of the nation’s highest rates of alcohol consumption and binge drinking are found in Wisconsin. According to a new study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Vol. 108, No. 7), Wisconsin residents—especially those in rural areas—are also at higher risk of being involved in a car crash that is due to alcohol.

A researcher at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, compared statistics about motor vehicle accident (MVA) fatalities that were related to alcohol and those in which alcohol was not a factor. In the process, he also analyzed county-by-county MVA trends and the relationship between alcohol-related MVAs and the number of liquor licenses per capita.

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Wisconsin Medical Journal: Child safety seats need an extra boost

Madison (October 7, 2009)—Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among children despite the widespread availability of effective child passenger restraint systems (CPRSs) such as child safety seats. However, even when provided with free CPRSs and education about how to use them properly, many caregivers do not make them a part of their daily routine, according to the authors of a new study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Vol. 108, No. 7).

A group of researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee conducted a community-based study in which a certified car seat technician educated caregivers of more than 100 low-income, minority and urban children about how to choose and install the appropriate CPRS based on their child’s age, height and weight. In addition to this training, each caregiver was given a CPRS for their child at no cost.

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Suspension in BadgerCare Plus Core Plan enrollment further illustrates need for health care reform

Madison (October 6, 2009)—“Wisconsin physicians provide the highest quality care in the nation, and we believe that every one of our citizens deserves access to that care. But with our nation’s current economic woes and increasing unemployment rate, access to care for some of our most vulnerable patients is becoming increasingly difficult.

“Governor Doyle’s announcement yesterday that the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan will suspend enrollment this Friday, along with the fact that our state’s Medicaid program is already facing a $625 million deficit this biennium, further illustrates that real and lasting changes to our current health care system are essential. Wisconsin expanded BadgerCare coverage to include adults without children, which has resulted in a huge demand. As Wisconsin builds on its top quality status, health system reform must address the government’s chronic under-funding of health care programs for the sickest and poorest among us.

“The Wisconsin Medical Society is committed to working with the State to protect patients’ access to high quality care in Wisconsin and continuing to work with our Congressional leaders to enact health system reform that ensures access to this care.”

Statement attributable to Robert Jaeger, MD, President, Wisconsin Medical Society.

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Foundation accepting grant applications through October 16

Madison (September 25, 2009)—The Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation’s Grant Program focuses on providing support for physician-led, statewide or community-based programs to improve health through education and outreach. Limited funding is also available for research on outcomes or dissemination of outcomes research.

The application deadline is Friday, October 16, 2009, 4:30 p.m. for 2010 grant activities.

Preference is given to those programs that include a letter of recommendation from a Wisconsin Medical Society member and/or have direct involvement of a Society member. Medical students may apply on behalf of their organizations. More than $25,000 is available for grant awards.

For details and application materials, click here.

Wisconsin Medical Journal: Health care access and affordability problems plague insured and uninsured patients

Madison (September 14, 2009)—More than 9% of Wisconsin residents currently lack health insurance, but they’re not the only ones struggling with the health care system, according to the authors of new study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Vol. 108, No. 6).

A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire conducted an interview-based study of 18 Wisconsin residents with varying levels of health insurance coverage to discover how the experiences and concerns of patients without insurance compare to those of insured patients. Regardless of their insurance status, study participants expressed worries about health care access and affordability, as well as the significant influence this coverage has on their life choices, such as where to work and how to put food on the table.

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Wisconsin Medical Journal: Study: Wisconsin physicians support health system reform

Madison (September 8, 2009)—Wisconsin physicians share a desire for health care reform and agree about several key priorities. Nevertheless, primary care physicians and specialists tend to differ on how changes to the current system should be implemented, according to the authors of a new study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Vol. 108, No. 6).

A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Wisconsin Medical Society surveyed 2,500 randomly selected Wisconsin physicians in summer 2008 to determine their opinions about several facets of the health care reform debate, including what role the government should play in an adapted system, whether health insurance should be tied to employment and how the system should handle high-risk patients and those unable to pay for health care services.

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