TOP STORY

New Web site posts nearly 400 Wisconsin physician vacancies

A new Web site, www.wisconsinphysiciancareers.org, offers physicians a comprehensive resource for browsing career opportunities in Wisconsin’s clinics, hospitals, and in academic medicine. Sponsored by the Wisconsin Council for Medical Education and Workforce (WCMEW), the Web site is exclusive to Wisconsin and lists only physician career opportunities. The site is a cornerstone of an aggressive physician recruitment campaign geared at alleviating the physician workforce shortage by attracting physicians back to Wisconsin and retaining those already practicing here.

To date, Wisconsin clinics, hospitals, and academic medical centers have posted nearly 400 positions across 61 specialties for physicians.

“It’s extremely difficult to recruit physicians to rural areas,” said Society Past President Mark Belknap, MD, an internal medicine specialist who practices in Ashland. “This Web site will be a valuable tool to make potential candidates in all specialties aware of practice positions available throughout Wisconsin.”

The Society will include a link to WisconsinPhysicianCareers.org as part of its on-line career center, which also features “HealthE Careers”—a resource that includes postings for allied health and administrative positions.

“Wisconsin is a great place to practice medicine, but because there is a limited pool of physicians nationwide, there’s a lot of competition to fill positions. That’s why it’s imperative that we do everything we can to ensure the physicians we train here stay here and that we make it easier for physicians with family or educational ties to consider coming back,” said Society CEO Susan Turney, MD.

WCMEW’s members include the Society, the Wisconsin Hospital Association, the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, and the Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants.

If you have questions or would like more information, please e-mail kendi.parvin@wismed.org.

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NEWS BRIEFS

Society, nurses, WPS partner with domestic violence and sexual assault advocates for ‘Health Cares About Violence Against Women Day 2008’

The Wisconsin Medical Society teamed up with state coalitions against domestic violence and sexual assault along with other health care and women’s organizations on Tuesday to announce activities in recognition of the 12th annual “Health Cares About Violence Against Women Day.”

The Society was joined by WPS Health Insurance, Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Wisconsin Nurses Association and Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation for a press conference at WPS that urged increased screening by health care professionals for signs of domestic violence in their patients.

“Health care professionals routinely screen for tobacco use, high blood pressure and high cholesterol in their patients, but many miss the opportunity to screen for domestic violence. That doesn’t have to be the case,” said Wisconsin Medical Society Past President Paul Wertsch, MD. “By taking a few moments to ask patients some simple questions, physicians can emphasize to them that domestic violence is intolerable, and if it is happening to them, it’s not their fault. Physicians can also refer patients to community resources and make suggestions regarding their safety. We can let them know they are not alone and help is available.”

The coalition has developed this pocket screening card, which will be distributed to health care professionals statewide by the different organizations. Posters and other resources will also be available to help increase awareness.

If you would like copies of the domestic violence pocket screening card or more information, please e-mail communications@wismed.org.

National Depression Screening Day observed Friday; free on-line screening tool available

Wisconsin mental health advocates have joined forces to draw attention to National Depression Screening Day, being observed Friday, October 10 as part of Mental Illness Awareness Week. The day marks 24 hours of outreach encouraging people across Wisconsin, including those who are often less likely to seek medical attention, to participate in mental health screenings.

A free, brief confidential mental health screening tool is available on-line, and Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton has also made the screening available on her Web site this week. Lawton is honorary chair of Wisconsin United for Mental Health (WUMH), a statewide coalition on which the Society serves as a steering committee member.

Established by Congress 18 years ago, Mental Illness Awareness Week is observed nationwide with outreach and educational programs aimed to promote early detection, accurate diagnosis of mental illnesses, and to reduce the associated stigma and discrimination experienced by individuals with mental illnesses.

Although National Depression Screening Day is being recognized officially October 10, resources and the screening tool are available on-line 24/7. For additional information, click on the links below:

• Wisconsin United for Mental Health (WUMH): WUMH Fact Sheet
• Mental Health America of Wisconsin
• NAMI Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Family Ties

New resource guide available for people with diabetes

A “Quick Reference Guide for People with Diabetes” is now available from the Department of Health Services Wisconsin Diabetes Advisory Group (DAG) and Wisconsin Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP). The 12-page guide features quick lists of programs and clinics that offer assistance and or information for low cost diabetes care and supplies. Available free of charge, the pamphlet is designed for people with diabetes, but includes locations of free or low cost clinics and community health centers in Wisconsin so may be a good resource for other patients as well. To order copies of the guide as well as other diabetes prevention and control resources from DHS, complete this order form and fax it to 608.266.8925.

Joint Commission Alert: Help prevent blood thinner deaths and overdoses

The Joint Commission’s new Sentinel Event Alert urges greater attention to the dangers associated with anticoagulants, life-saving medications that also present serious risks when administered incorrectly or in error. Patients being treated with these medications must be closely monitored and screened for drug and food interactions, given that commonly used anticoagulants such as heparin and warfarin have narrow therapeutic ranges and a high potential for complications. Adding to the problem is a lack of standardized naming, labeling and packaging of anticoagulants that create confusion and lead to devastating errors.

To reduce the risk of errors related to commonly used anticoagulants, The Joint Commission’s Alert recommends that health care organizations take a series of 15 specific steps, including the following:

• Assess the risks of using anticoagulants.
• Use best practices or evidence-based guidelines regarding anticoagulants.
• Establish standard dose limits on anticoagulants and require that a doctor confirm any exceptions.
• Clearly label syringes and other containers used for anticoagulants.
• Clarify all anticoagulant dosing for pediatric patients, who are higher risk because these drugs are formulated and packaged for adults.

Other strategies for reducing the errors related to anticoagulants include staff communication and collaboration; patient education and participation; designating pharmacists to manage anticoagulant services; and use of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and bar coding technology, if available.

The complete list and text of past issues of Sentinel Event Alert can be found on the Joint Commission’s Web site.

Prepare yourself for Medicare in 2009

On July 15, Congress overrode a Presidential veto and the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act was passed. In addition to the continuation of the 2008 0.5 percent payment increase, the law included several other provisions that may impact your reimbursement and how you do business in 2009. To learn more about the impact this law will have on your practice, join Penny Osmon from the Wisconsin Medical Society and Mary Muchow from WPS Medicare Part B for a half-day face-to-face seminar. They will discuss these provisions as well as the 2009 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule and several other Medicare coding, billing and policy changes you won’t want to miss.

Complementing the morning session will be another half day face-to-face seminar titled “If It Makes Good Business Sense, It’s Probably Illegal” presented by the health care law firm of Quarles and Brady. Alyce Katayama, Sarah Coyne and Kerry Moskol will discuss numerous proposed and final changes to the Stark law and other regulatory constraints that have a direct impact on medical practices as well as physician-hospital agreements and joint ventures.

Please join us in one of the following cities for both of these “must attend” sessions and feel confident that your practice will be prepared for 2009.

• October 14: Wausau, The Plaza Hotel & Suites
• October 15: Green Bay, Tundra Lodge
• October 21: Waukesha, Country Springs Hotel
• October 22: Madison, Wisconsin Medical Society

Click here to register.

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NEWSMAKERS

Former journalist honored as outstanding medical student

Ana Caban Cardona, a fourth-year medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin, received the Walter Zeit Fellows Leadership Award on September 26. The award is presented annually to the Medical College senior student who has consistently displayed superior qualities of leadership, loyalty, selfless service, initiative and compassion toward his or her peers and to the Medical College.

Caban Cardona, who was born and raised in Milwaukee, spent six years as a journalist before deciding to go to medical school. While at the Medical College, she has served as a manager of the Saturday Clinic for the Uninsured, a student-run, free clinic operated in conjunction with Columbia-St. Mary’s Hospital. She has also been an active member and co-president of the La Raza (student) Medical Association and has served as chair of the Student Assembly’s Diversity Committee.

Click here to read a press release announcing the award.

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QUALITY & EFFICIENCY

WHIO Physician Cabinet meets October 15

With the WHIO data mart targeted for initial release in early December 2008, the seven-member physician advisory group will be meeting October 15 to determine details of the first quarter study period, including finalizing the expectations of Physician Reporting Pilot Program.

Click here to read more.

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CAPITOL INSIDER

DHS: Act 108 now allows sharing of patient test results and symptoms

The Department of Health Services (DHS) distributed a memo October 3 providing guideance on recent changes to Wisconsin law regarding disclosure of health care information for treatment purposes without patient consent. The memo outlines the changes related to Wis. Stat. s 51.30, which took effect October 1, 2008, and the changes to Wis. Stat. s 146.82, which took effect April 1, 2008.

To read the memo, click here.

Campaign focus: Senate District 10

The northwestern Wisconsin district is one of the more hotly contested races of those seeking election to a four-year term this election cycle. The district is dominated by the Minneapolis/St. Paul media market, making any media purchases in a campaign quite expensive.

The incumbent State Senator is Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls), seeking her third term in the Senate following 10 years in the State Assembly. Harsdorf served on the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Higher Education, and the Committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail.

According to her campaign Web site, Harsdorf believes that "[e]scalating health care costs are taking a toll on our nation, our state and our communities." She believes that "expanding options to increase affordability for working families and small businesses must be a legislative priority."

Challenger Alison Page (D-River Falls) comes from health care job experience, having been a senior administrator for Fairview Health Services (Minnesota) and a registered nurse. As such, health care is a major slice of her campaign platform. According to her Web site, Page believes that health care is a "basic human right," and that "[w]e don't have to spend more money on health care—in fact, we can spend less money on health care than we do right now. We just have to change the way in which we spend it."

For more information about this or other hot legislative races, contact Mark Grapentine, JD, Jeremy Levin or Beth Alvin. Stay tuned to future editions of Medigram for more campaign briefs.

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YOUR PRACTICE. YOUR FUTURE.

FTC: Implement 'red flag' identity theft policies by Nov 1

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Identity theft prevention policies must be in place by Nov. 1 for all creditors, which includes many health care providers and physicians, according to the FTC. The regulations, known as the Red Flag Rules, require creditors to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs. Identity theft prevention programs must provide for the identification, detection, and response to patterns, practices, or specific activities—known as "red flags"—that could indicate identity theft. The American Medical Association requested the FTC delay the applicability of the Red Flag Rules. The FTC has not responded and health care professionals should proceed as if the rules will apply to them on November 1, 2008.

For more information, click here.

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