Medigram - September 6, 2007 | Wisconsin Medical Society

NEWS BRIEFS

Wausau doctor takes ‘Medical Diplomacy’ seriously

Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson may have coined the term “medical diplomacy,” but Wausau’s Kevin Flaherty, MD, is living it. On August 27, Dr. Flaherty, a corneal transplant surgeon, received national publicity after operating on a partially blind, 7-year-old Iraqi girl in Wausau. “I didn’t know if she was Shiite or Sunni, I just knew she was a little girl who needed to have her vision restored,” Dr. Flaherty told Channel 12, Rhinelander.

The Lion’s Club International, Aspirus Hospital, Wausau and other community members covered the cost of the girl’s surgery. She received a new cornea to battle her partial blindness and will undergo a second surgery on the other eye if the first surgery was successful.

A Crandon soldier, when he was serving in Iraq, noticed that the girl was unable to grab a piece of candy when he threw it in her direction. He asked Iraqi doctors what was going on, and they said there was nothing they could do. He turned next to the Lion’s Club to see if it could help the girl.

The story received widespread play, even making news in Anchorage, Alaska. Doctor Flaherty is Speaker of the Wisconsin Medical Society’s House of Delegates.

Society co-sponsors 2007 Wisconsin Quality and Safety Forum in October

The Wisconsin Medical Society is pleased to join the Wisconsin Hospital Association, MetaStar, the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality, and the Wisconsin Health Information Organization in sponsoring the 2007 Wisconsin Quality and Safety Forum scheduled October 22-23, 2007 at the Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha. This forum is designed for physicians, quality improvement managers/specialists, risk managers, nurse executives, pharmacists, patient care services staff, chief executive officers, administrators, vice presidents, and patient safety improvement team members.

For more information click here. To register on-line click here.

Physician support sought for better alternatives to toxic chemicals

The Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG) requests leaders in public health, law enforcement, first responders and other interested parties sign a letter to Congress, showing support for safer alternatives to toxics.

Of the more than 15,000 chemical plants in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 123 put more than 1 million Americans at risk of death or serious injury from the release of toxic chemicals. In Wisconsin, there are 56 facilities, each of which threatens more than 10,000 people in the event of an accident.

Many of the toxic chemicals used at these facilities across the country have been linked to a wide range of chronic diseases, including cancers, birth defects, respiratory problems, and learning and behavior disorders. The everyday operations of these facilities release toxic pollution that, over time, seriously damages our health, according to WISPIRG.

“To protect the public from the risks posed by dangerous chemicals at thousands of facilities around the country, we should require that chemical plants replace dangerous toxic chemicals with safer alternatives whenever feasible,” said Bruce Speight, of WISPIRG.

On October 5, 2006, a dangerous reaction triggered an explosion and fire that destroyed a chemical plant in Apex, North Carolina, sending clouds of chemical-laden smoke into the neighboring community, threatening the public health of thousands of people. The Apex explosion is a powerful reminder that more needs to be done to protect communities and workers from the inherent dangers of chemical plants.

For more information, contact Bruce Speight, WISPIRG, bspeight@wispirg.org, 608.251.9501 or click here.

YOUR PRACTICE. YOUR FUTURE.

APNPs must have individual insurance if prescribing independently

Advanced practice nurse prescribers (APNPs) who prescribe independently must maintain individual malpractice insurance, according to Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter N 8.08(1). The APNP can either maintain personal liability coverage or be covered under a group liability policy providing individual coverage for the nurse. Wisconsin Statute § 655.23(4) mandates insurance coverage of $1 million for each occurrence and $3 million for all occurrences in any one policy year.

If an APNP prescribes independently, then he or she has an independent scope of practice and must have his or her own individual insurance coverage. An APNP can have shared coverage under a group malpractice policy only when the APNP works under the direction and supervision of a physician or nurse anesthetist and does not prescribe independently. Additionally, the APNP who prescribes under the direction and supervision of a physician or nurse anesthetist must certify on forms provided by the Board of Nursing that the nurse complies with Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter N 6.03 (2) and (3) regarding delegated acts. View a sample of the certification forms here. Whenever an organization changes an APNP’s scope of practice, it should always consider the insurance ramifications of such a change.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Tomorrow is last day to save $80

There is only one day left until the “Early Bird” registration deadline for the Wisconsin Medical Society’s 2007 Midwest Coding and Practice Management Symposium, being held on October 14-16, 2007 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. You’ll save $80 when you register by September 7.

Designed for coding and billing professionals, compliance officers, medical group managers and physicians, this year’s symposium features 30 break-out sessions, as well as half-day pre-symposium sessions. Topics include Collections, The Pitfalls of EMR, Critical Care, Chart Auditing and much, much more. To view the agenda and to register, please click here.

FYI: FOR YOUR INSURANCE

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month

Most people need life insurance; however, it seems that a growing number of Americans do not have enough life insurance coverage to provide for their loved ones in the event of premature death. Studies conducted by the Life & Health Insurance Foundation for Education show that 68 million adults in America have no life insurance at all and those with life policies are seriously underinsured. This could leave a financial burden for your loved ones if you were to pass and they weren’t covered properly under your current life insurance policy. Click here to find out just how much life insurance you need to protect your family. Once you’ve had the chance to review your situation, please contact us at 866.442.3810 or use our on-line contact form and we will place you with an insurance agent to help you with your needs.

FOUNDATION FOCUS

Robert T. Cooney, MD Scholarship encourages rural practice

With the current shortage of physicians in rural Wisconsin, Judith Cooney’s recent gift of appreciated stock in memory of her husband Robert T. Cooney, MD, is especially timely. Mrs. Cooney’s criteria for recipients of the Robert T. Cooney, MD Scholarship is that the Foundation select recipients who show strong interest in practicing in rural Wisconsin.

Bridget DeLong, the 2007 recipient of a $5,000 scholarship in Dr. Cooney’s memory, is not only rooted in rural Wisconsin, but has also directed her many activities toward increasing her knowledge of Wisconsin’s rural communities. The short list includes serving as co-leader of the Rural Medicine Interest Group, spending a summer externship in rural practice in Clinton and completing a research project on mental health issues in elderly of rural Wisconsin through the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health. She recently began her fourth year at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health near the top of her class academically.

Doctor Byron Crouse, UW School of Medicine & Public Health Professor of Family Medicine noted in his letter of recommendation, “Bridget has demonstrated a consistent pattern of excelling in all that she does.”

Ms. DeLong’s thank you note to Mrs. Cooney included a commitment to continuing Dr. Cooney’s legacy. “As Dr. Cooney served the Portage area for many years, I too aspire to serve a community not only as a physician, but as an involved and caring citizen,” she wrote.

For information on the Foundation’s Legacy Program, please contact Executive Director Renee Reback at 608.442.3720.

FAQ

Question:
How do I Log in to the “Members-only” section of the Society Web site?

Answer:
If you are a Society member and you’ve forgotten your username and password, you’ll need to reset your password. To do so, follow these simple steps:

From the left menu bar, click “Log in”
Click the “Request New Password” tab
Enter your e-mail address
Click “E-mail new password”
You will receive an e-mail message from it@wismed.org
Click the link in that e-mail message. (Your username is on the first line and in the subject)
Click “Log in”
Enter new Password (twice)
Click “Submit”

To confirm the new password is working:

Click “Sign Out”
Click “Log in”
Enter your username (NOT your e-mail address) and password
Click “Log in”

If you have questions about this, e-mail communications@wismed.org.

QUALITY CORNER

Health literacy resources available

National Institute for Literacy Webcast

The National Institute for Literacy hosted a Webcast last week to discuss Health Literacy of America’s Adults: Results of the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) 2003.This report is the first release of the NAAL health literacy results, which are based on assessment tasks designed specifically to measure the health literacy of adults in the United States. Health literacy was reported using four performance levels: Below Basic, Basic, Intermediate, and Proficient.

The majority of adults (53 percent) had “Intermediate” health literacy. About 22 percent had “Basic” health literacy, and 14 percent fell into the “Below Basic” category. Relationships between health literacy and background variables (such as educational attainment, age, race/ethnicity, where adults get information about health issues, and health insurance coverage) were also examined and reported. For example, adults with “Below Basic” or “Basic” health literacy were less likely than adults with higher health literacy to get information about health issues from written sources (newspapers, magazines, books, brochures, or the Internet) and more likely than adults with higher health literacy to get information about health issues from radio and television. To view the Webcast, click here.

2007 Health Literacy Summit Webcast

Wisconsin Literacy, a coalition of adult, family and workplace literacy providers, held a free, one-day Health Literacy Summit in Wisconsin Dells to encourage communication between health care professionals and adult literacy educators and to exchange ideas on how to improve the delivery of health care to Wisconsin adults with low literacy and limited English speaking skills. At the summit, four regional planning committees were formed representing area health care professionals and literacy providers. Wisconsin Literacy anticipates continued health literacy initiatives at regional and local levels. To view the Webcast, click here.

AMA Foundation Health Literacy Videos

Included as part of its Health Literacy Kits, the AMA Foundation created 20-minute informational and instructional videos with case studies. The 2001 video, “Low Health Literacy: You Can’t Tell By Looking,” features actual physicians and office staff interacting with real patients challenged by low health literacy. The 2003 video, “Health Literacy: Help Your Patients Understand,” gives more detailed techniques and specific steps for physicians and their staff on helping patients with limited health literacy. Click hereto view the videos.

Additional AMA information about health literacy, including the toolkit can be found at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/8115.html.