Welcome to the Wisconsin Medical Society’s Web page for patients. Founded in 1841, the Society today has nearly 12,500 physician members throughout Wisconsin dedicated to the best interests of their patients. On this page, you’ll be able to find a physician, learn more about health care topics affecting you, and link to related Web sites. We’re adding new and updated information to the site everyday, so bookmark this page and check back frequently.

Latest News

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New PSAs help parents put a stop to underage drinking

Did you know that Wisconsin has the highest percentage of underage drinkers in the United States? It’s true, but not a lot of people are aware of this problem or the risks it poses to people of all ages.

That’s why the Wisconsin Medical Society Alliance (Alliance) has created four public service announcements—two for radio and two for television—to help parents spread the message that teen drinking is a dangerous habit, not a rite of passage.

The radio-friendly audio PSAs, available here and here, feature Wendy Lemkuil, a prosecutor in the Brown County district attorney’s office who is also the wife of a family medicine doctor and a mother of three. She urges parents across the state to be real with their kids rather than striving to be cool.

Nearly 250 radio stations throughout the state have received the audio PSAs. The video PSAs, which may be viewed here and here, are available to TV stations throughout Wisconsin as well.

The Alliance is a nonprofit, volunteer service organization comprised of physicians’ spouses. Founded in 1928, the Alliance assists with Society programs that improve the health and quality of life for all people. Alliance members work to promote health education, encourage volunteerism in activities that meet health needs and support health-related charitable endeavors. For more details on the Alliance, click here.

Society airs second radio spot statewide

On January 14, the Wisconsin Medical Society launched the second in a series of radio messages designed to help educate patients about key health care issues. (Click here to listen.) The two 30-second spots will run on 74 radio stations statewide for five days and feature a message that encourages patients to take care of their health.

In the first one, Society President Steven Bergin, MD, reminds listeners that, “one of the best partners in managing your health is your doctor. Whether you are dealing with stress, working to quit smoking or lose weight, or getting ready to add to a new baby to your family, your doctor is a knowledgeable and trusted source of information.”

The campaign will continue throughout 2009 and will feature Society members with the key message, “We are doctors because we care for you and your family.”

Free lecture sheds light on menopause treatment research

The Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation is presenting a free public lecture entitled "Menopause, Mood and Depression: What's a Woman to Do," at Madison's Monona Terrace Convention Center Thursday, Sept 25. Please contact Renee Reback at 608.442.3720 or e-mail renee.reback@wismed.org for more information.

Click here to read more...

Wisconsinites don't think government policies on social/economic factors will help overall health

Education, housing and income level are among social and economic factors proven to affect public health, yet a first of its kind survey published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Volume 107, No. 3), finds most Wisconsin residents don't think goverment policies to improve these factors will help overall public health. Adults surveyed think health care and health insurance have a much larger influence on public health.

Click here to read the study in its entirety. Click here to read a press release about the study.

Moving toward better health

The road to a trimmer, healthier population may lie in challenging people through fun and innovative community campaigns. A successful example of this is documented in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Volume 107, No. 3), where the clear majority of participants achieved their goal of exercising 30 minutes per day for six weeks.

Click here to read the study in its entirety. Click here to read a press release about the study.

You get what you pay for

The public’s health does indeed hinge on county financial investments, according to new research published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Volume 107, No. 1). While the amount spent on health care by county varied greatly, it appears the areas that need it most aren't seeing enough financial support to turn things around. Unfortunately, say researchers from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, the counties that have “the worst health outcomes” had only slightly higher levels of public health funding .

Click here to read the study in its entirety. Click here to read a press release about the study.

Beware of the Trees

Everybody knows firearms can be deadly, but hunters may underestimate the danger of treestands. A study just published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Volume 107, No. 1) looked at serious deer hunting injuries treated at University of Wisconsin Hospital from 1999 to 2004. What the study found is that 66 percent (16 of the 24) of injuries treated at the trauma center were the result of treestand falls. Two of those injuries resulted in the death of the hunter.

Click here to read the study in its entirety. Click here to read a press release about the study.

List it. Don’t risk it. Write down your meds today.

Life is confusing enough, without having your doctor in the dark regarding all of the medicines you’re taking.

That’s why the Wisconsin Medical Society has joined an education campaign called “List It. Don’t Risk It.” to encourage everyone to carry a list in their wallet specifying the medicines you’re on—prescription, non-prescription and vitamins—as well as dosages, when to take them and other important information. In both emergency and even non-emergency situations, having an accurate medicine list can be critically important to your good health.

Confusion is all too common regarding this issue because people go to multiple pharmacies, hospitals and clinics and may take many difference medicines. It’s frequently the case that patients are unable to list them all by memory, either.

“Taking this small step of having a written list of all of your medicines, including vitamins and other over-the-counter drugs you get from health food stores and pharmacies, will allow your doctor and other health care professionals make the most informed decision regarding your treatment,” said Clarence Chou, MD, president of the Wisconsin Medical Society. “This is especially true in an emergency situation, so it’s important to have the list with you at all times.”

“List It. Don’t Risk It.” was developed by Safe Care Wisconsin, a coalition of organizations including the Wisconsin Medical Society who are committed to ensuring the safety of patients throughout Wisconsin. As part of the awareness campaign, this 30-second radio ad will run statewide on the Wisconsin Radio Network for three weeks starting January 16.

Click here for a downloadable medication list, and for more information about the project, visit www.safecarewisconsin.org and click on the "List It. Don’t Risk It." logo.

Do cold remedies really work?

We’ve all heard plenty of claims regarding what works against the common cold—zinc, vitamin C, Echinacea, etc. But what do family doctors and researchers think? Take a look at this news release from the latest study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal, and see how medical experts view the evidence regarding common cold therapies.

Click here to read the study in its entirety.

Many ‘cheeseheads’ lack necessary vitamin D

So you think the fact that you drink plenty of milk and enjoy other Wisconsin dairy products means you’re getting all of the Vitamin D your body needs? Well, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers suggest you think again. Most of us are Vitamin D-deficient and we risk broken bones and more, if we don’t address the problem, according to this study just published in the latest issue of the Wisconsin Medical Journal.

Click here to read the study in its entirety. Click here to read a press release about the study.

Survey reveals why young people participate in sports

At a time when physical activity among young people is on the decline, it would be wise to look for ways to encourage more sports participation. Medical College of Wisconsin researchers wanted to know how to do that so they asked young people who already were active and why. A survey of primarily African American young people from Milwaukee finds being physically fit and developing healthy habits are the two most common reasons they give for participating in team sports.

“The finding that their primary motivator was becoming physically fit and healthy is encouraging in this population that is at higher risk for overweight and its consequences than their peers of higher socioeconomic status,” the authors say in their report, which was published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal.

Click here to read the study in its entirety. Click here to read a press release about the study.

12% of new Wisconsin mothers report “at risk” drinking

Excessive alcohol consumption by Wisconsin women who have recently given birth raises health risks for their children and potentially, for their future children. A study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers, published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Volume 106, No. 6), reveals that a survey of 8, 06 postpartum mothers in Wisconsin shows 12% self-reporting “at risk” alcohol-related behaviors. These behaviors are defined as consuming an average of seven or more drinks per week or four or more drinks on a single occasion at least once in the past month.

Click here to read the study in its entirety. Click here to read a press release about the study.

Hometown women doctors may be answer to physician shortage in rural areas

Rural communities hoping to attract physicians may have to think about ways to make the practice more desirable for women, since they now comprise a majority of today’s medical school graduates. New research findings suggest rural communities would be wise to encourage their own female residents to pursue the profession.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health surveyed 10 women physicians who practice in Wisconsin rural areas with populations of fewer than 16,000 residents to find out which factors most influenced their decision to enter a rural practice. The results are published in the latest issue of the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Volume 106, No. 5).

“The most common reason stated motivating the physicians to enter rural practice was a rural background (70%),” the study reports. Having a personal connection to the area or family nearby was also a key reason given (60%). ).

Click here to read the study in its entirety. Click here to read a press release about the study.

Wisconsin mosquitos much more than annoying

Right now is the time of year we need to be most vigilant about avoiding mosquito bites. The State Epidemiologist for communicable diseases—Jeffrey Davis, MD—is among several authors of a study published in the July Wisconsin Medical Journal that found there were 114 West Nile virus cases in Wisconsin from 2002 through 2006, which included seven deaths.

Click here to read the study in its entirety. Click here to read a press release about the study.

“Cool” Twist on Cardiac Arrest Treatment

by Rajesh Bhargava, MD, Wisconsin Medical Society

“Cool,” is an excellent way to describe a new treatment option for many patients who suffer from sudden cardiac arrest. This technique is not only innovative, but it is literally cool, too. Just last week, I treated one such patient in her 40s using a procedure known as therapeutic hypothermia. What that means is following cardiac arrest, we immediately cooled her down with ice packs, and cold intravenous fluids, achieving our target temperature of 92 degrees Fahrenheit within 6-7 hours, which helped us buy time for her brain to recover from the trauma. Remember, cardiac arrest means the heart has failed as a pump, so blood is no longer nourishing tissues and providing oxygen to the brain. In fact, patients frequently survive the cardiac event, but die from brain injury.

Normally, such a patient would have only a 2 percent chance of waking up and going home, so we typically start discussing long term care options with the family. But this patient appears to have recovered fully and is going home! It’s as if she went to sleep and then woke up normally. This is rare.

I am convinced her good outcome is the result of this relatively new procedure that I first witnessed last year while on sabbatical in New Zealand, where it is used frequently. When I saw the dramatic results they were achieving, it inspired me to delve into the research on this technique. What I found is that therapeutic hypothermia is frequently used in Europe and Australia. It works by giving the brain a better chance of recovering after being deprived of oxygen. Typically, 4-5 minutes without adequate blood flow will result in severe brain injury. However, for every one degree centigrade drop in body temperature, the oxygen requirement of the brain drops by six percent. That means more breathing room for the brain to survive and hopefully, function normally in the future.

Understand that this technique will not be suitable for every form of cardiac arrest, but it may well apply to a great many patients because this is an all too common medical emergency. Nevertheless, there are risks associated with it, which include bleeding, infections and a greater likelihood of more instances of abnormal heart rhythm, so these patients need to be watched closely. Cooling the body causes intense shivering, so it’s critical to find the right balance to help the brain recover without going so far as to harm the rest of the body.

In order for hospitals to begin taking advantage of this approach, there needs to be extensive coordination, so therapeutic hypothermia can be done appropriately and quickly in a prescribed time frame for those patients who might benefit from it. This technique has the potential to be used very widely in a relatively short time span, but emergency medical personnel and physicians will have to learn about it first. The alternative, in cardiac arrest cases, is to simply wait and see, which almost always results in a very sad outcome, if the patient survives at all.

Yes, under the circumstances, “cool” is an apt description for therapeutic hypothermia, which offers a ray of hope for what often is a hopeless situation.

Doctor Bhargava, a member of the Wisconsin Medical Society, is with Milwaukee-based Professional Internal Medicine Services.

Note: This and other columns represent the professional opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Wisconsin Medical Society.