From health system reform to performance improvement initiatives and more, the medical profession is changing dramatically. Together, physicians have the strength to address these issues. That’s why your membership in the Wisconsin Medical Society is vital. As one of more than 12,000 Society members, here is a sample of some of the key initiatives we are working on for you and your patients.

KEY INITIATIVES

Ensuring physicians’ voices are heard—As the future of medicine and patients’ access to care is being debated at both the state and national levels, the Society is at the table, representing the voice of physicians on key issues like Medicare reimbursement and administrative simplification. And because no ONE physician, or even one medical society alone, can drive the change needed in today’s health care system, the Society has developed strategic alliances with organizations like the Wisconsin Council on Medical Education and Workforce (WCMEW) to continue to address emerging workforce issues and the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ) to coordinate efforts in performance measurement.

Fighting to protect access to care and Wisconsin’s medical liability environment—When the state took $200 million from the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund to help balance its budget, the Society filed a lawsuit to restore the money taken, plus interest. On July 20, 2010, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a 5-2 decision overturning the raid and ordering that the money taken be restored, plus interest. The Society also fought hard to remove a proposal in the most recent state biennial budget that could have required a physician to pay 100 percent of a plaintiff’s damages, even if that physician was as little as 1 percent negligent. This proposed change in joint and several liability law was a priority for plaintiff’s lawyers; it took the Society’s involvement with a statewide coalition to kill the budget item.

Leveraging data and technology—The Society is a founding member of the Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO), a not-for-profit organization comprised of key health care stakeholders in Wisconsin. WHIO’s data mart, now live, in tandem with Society resources and initiatives, will provide the framework for performance improvement and payment incentives at the individual physician level.

Driving improvement—The Society is ensuring that physicians are able to take advantage of new CME requirements. Physicians can earn up to 20 CME credits for each quality improvement activity that includes a needs assessment, a documented quality improvement plan and reassessment. The Society has resources and staff to assist physicians and their practices in these efforts.

Looking toward the future—The Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation’s strong involvement in education begins with providing medical students their first white coat and continues with scholarships, awards, loans and development programs. The Foundation’s successful fellowship program links medical students to community mentors and health care projects throughout Wisconsin, and the grant program supports physician-led community health efforts across the state. The Foundation truly values its unique opportunity to link physicians, government, health care systems and communities together and welcomes your involvement.

Providing services and resources—Society membership features numerous benefits, including the following:

• A Physician’s Guide to Health Law: A Collection of Frequently Asked Questions (member login required for access)—From billing practices to HIPAA and more, this online resource provides members-only access to legal information on a variety of issues affecting their practice.
• Medigram—The Society’s weekly electronic newsletter, featuring timely news and information on key health care issues and practice management topics.
• Wisconsin Medical Journal—The Society’s peer-reviewed, indexed scientific journal.
• High-quality, reasonably priced educational programs on topics that affect nearly every medical practice including Medicare, Medicaid, Evaluation and Management coding, medical records and health information technology.
• Members may qualify to earn a 15 percent maximum premium discount from ProAssurance Wisconsin Insurance Company’s medical professional liability insurance program through Wisconsin Medical Society Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. (link)
• Online resources available 24/7 on the Society’s website: www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org.