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Lawsuit Imminent If Budget Contains Fund Raid

release date: Friday, October 19, 2007
contact: Mark Grapentine - 608.575.2514

Statement attributable to:
Clarence Chou, MD
Wisconsin Medical Society President

Madison--“Today’s announcement of a budget ‘deal’ that includes raiding more than $200 million from the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund essentially guarantees that the state will have to defend itself in court. This Fund is for injured patients and their families, not for one-time fiscal band-aids.

“The Fund is an essential pillar supporting our state’s relatively stable medical liability climate, which attracts high quality physicians to Wisconsin and leads to greater access to care. We will continue our efforts to attract more physicians to our state, but a raid on the Fund will make it that much harder.”

Children at risk from mothers who binge drink

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

release date: Monday, October 15, 2007
contact: Steve Busalacchi - 608.698.5298; PRDR@tds.net

Madison--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 8706 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.

“These women were more likely to have been frequent drinkers prior to pregnancy and to be unmarried, smokers, and not breastfeeding,” the authors report. “They were less likely to be black, over the age of 35, and ‘not in the work force,’ such as stay-at-home mothers, students and seasonal workers.”

The potential risks to children of mothers who use alcohol during pregnancy include fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which can cause lifelong physical, mental, behavioral and learning problems.

“While the prenatal period is clearly an important time to intervene among women drinkers, by the time a woman realizes that she is pregnant, irreversible damage to the fetus may have already occurred,” the report states.

The authors say this is the largest study of drinking patterns they’re aware of among women attending a postpartum visit to an obstetrician. Their findings may help identify women who “may be at increased risk of binge drinking or frequent drinking.” The authors recommend routine alcohol screening of all women who come in for postpartum visits with their obstetrician.

The Wisconsin Medical Society is the largest association of medical doctors in the state with more than 11,500 members dedicated to the best interests of their patients. The Wisconsin Medical Society has been a trusted source for health policy leadership since 1841.

African American children offer insight on how to promote team sports participation

Survey finds team players just want to be healthy

release date: Friday, October 12, 2007
contact: Steve Busalacchi - 608.698.5298; PRDR@tds.net

Madison--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 Medical College of Wisconsin study, published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Volume 106, No. 6), surveyed 138 children, most of whom were ages 10-15, as well as 100 parents. The surveys were conducted at a health fair, sponsored by the Milwaukee Urban League.

“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. Ironically, weight control was among the least cited reasons by parents and children to play team sports. It was ranked just above the least cited reason, “having fun and making friends.”

The authors report that physical activity among young people is declining, as is funding for physical education programs in schools.

“Physical activity is a vital component of a healthy life, and education and guidance concerning physical fitness should begin early,” the researchers say. “Participation in team sports is one opportunity for achieving this goal. Health care professionals and others who work with inner city youth should emphasize the identified motivational factors for the children and their parents to encourage sports participation by inner-city children.”

Click here to view the study.

The Wisconsin Medical Society is the largest association of medical doctors in the state with more than 11,500 members dedicated to the best interests of their patients. The Wisconsin Medical Society has been a trusted source for health policy leadership since 1841.

Physician petition decries raid of fund for injured patients

Doctors oppose any budget agreement that allows government raid

release date: Wednesday, October 10, 2007
contact: Mark Grapentine - 608.575.2514

Madison—A petition signed by more than 1000 physicians and patients from across Wisconsin has been delivered to legislative leaders today, urging them not to take money from a Fund dedicated to compensating injured patients and their families.

“It’s disappointing that this proposal is still on the table,” said Clarence Chou, MD, president of the Wisconsin Medical Society, referring to the proposed raid of $175 million from the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund. “The Legislature rejected similar proposed raids in the prior two legislative sessions and fairness should prevail this time, as well.”

The Fund, established in 1975, ensures monies are available to support patients injured due to a negligent medical act. Fund payments provide unlimited economic damages by covering medical bills and replacing lost income. It also provides payments for pain and suffering. No taxpayer dollars are in the Fund; instead, most physicians, hospitals and other health care providers are required to pay annual fees. Also, 2003 Act 111 established the Fund as an “irrevocable trust,” placing the legality of taking $175 million into doubt. The money in the Fund is simply not the government’s to take. “It’s solely for injured patients and their families,” said Dr. Chou.

Physicians are united in their opposition to this proposed raid and continue to urge their respective legislators to reject it. The Society has also informed legislators that it is prepared to take the issue to court if necessary.

To view the petition in its entirety click here.

The Wisconsin Medical Society is the largest association of medical doctors in the state with more than 11,500 members dedicated to the best interests of their patients. The Wisconsin Medical Society has been a trusted source for health policy leadership since 1841.

Medical Society prepared to protect injured patients’ fund

Physician group retains attorney who successfully argued 1997 pension case

release date: Tuesday, October 2, 2007
contact: Thomas Pyper - 608.255.4440

If a raid on the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund (IPFCF) is signed into law as part of Wisconsin’s 2007-2009 biennial budget, the state’s largest physician organization is prepared to protect the Fund by taking the state to court, according to Society President Clarence M. Chou, MD.

“The Fund is for injured patients and their families – not for anything else the state decides needs more funding,” Chou said. “We’re still working hard to try to prevent a raid from happening. But if it does, we’re prepared to take our case to the courts.”

Chou emphasized that the Fund is a key component of the state’s medical liability climate, which the American Medical Association considers to be one of just eight states not suffering from a liability crisis or near-crisis (click here to view map).

The Society has retained noted attorney Thomas M. Pyper from Madison’s Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek SC law firm. Pyper successfully defended the state Employee Trust Funds Board before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the 1997 Wis. Ret. Teachers Ass’n v. Employee Trust Funds Bd. case, in which the Court deemed illegal a government taking from the state’s pension fund. The state was ordered to return the original taking plus interest: a total of approximately $215 million.

“Government taking money from this Fund is certainly problematic,” Pyper said. “There are a number of compelling legal arguments that can be made if this taking occurs. We have been working closely with the Society to prepare a vigorous defense of this Fund if we need to.”

The State Legislature created the IPFCF in 1975 when few insurance companies were offering adequate medical liability policies. Governors and State Legislatures let the Fund run successfully until Governor Doyle proposed a $200 million taking as part of the 2003-2005 biennial budget. The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee removed that raid, and did so again in 2005-2007 when the Governor proposed a $179 million taking. This session brought the third such attempt on the fund: $175 million for costs wholly unrelated to the Fund’s operations and purpose.

With more than 11,000 members dedicated to the best interests of their patients, the Wisconsin Medical Society is the largest association of medical doctors in the state and a trusted source for health policy leadership since 1841. Your Doctor. Your Health.

What Do Women Doctors Want
—Key question for rural communities as more women enter medicine?

release date: Thursday, August 23, 2007

Madison (August 23, 2007) —It’s already a challenge for rural areas to attract physicians, but demographic changes in the physician workforce may make it even more difficult in the years to come. Women comprise a majority of medical school classes, while male physicians are the ones who tend to practice in rural areas now.

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%).

Half the women doctors surveyed predicted the number of women physicians in rural communities would decrease because of long hours, low compensation and a declining number of students pursuing family practice. The other half said more women would pursue rural practices because of the opportunity to practice obstetrics, the ability of spouses to work at home and a good environment to raise children.

“Predictors of rural practice include rural background, positive experiences during medical school and/or residency in rural communities, and practice settings that are supportive of unique arrangements to provide the desired balance between personal and professional activities,” the authors conclude.

Wisconsin Medical Society Launches Innovative Health Insurance Pilot for Fox Valley Physicians

release date: Monday, August 20, 2007

Physician groups in Wisconsin are banding together in a cooperative to provide more cost-effective health insurance options for doctors, their families and office staff.

On August 15, the Wisconsin Medical Society launched the Physicians Health Cooperative (PHC), a new health insurance plan that offers long-term solutions to high health care costs. The new plan is being introduced initially in the Fox Valley for Society members, and is presented by Fitzgerald, Clayton, James & Kasten, Inc. as representatives for Wisconsin Medical Society Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. (WMSI).

“We hope the Fox Valley pilot project eventually will turn into a statewide advantage for all physicians in Wisconsin,” said Ellie Rohrdanz, WMSI President. The plan is endorsed by the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives and the geographic region covered by the Cooperative has been approved by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. This allows many Society member clinics to join under one large group for health insurance purposes. A separate Board of Directors will own and control the PHC.

WPS Health Insurance, a long-term partner of the Society, is the company providing the health insurance plans and is offering special benefits under the program for the physicians in the Physician Health Cooperative participating groups. WPS is offering a 15-month initial rate guarantee for founding members, enrolling by January 1, 2008.

To participate in the new plan, all physicians in the group must be members of the Society. Each clinic can choose up to four health insurance plans to offer to their staff and employees, so people with different needs can be accommodated under the program.

Under Wisconsin law, the Cooperative requires a three-year commitment by member groups, and each member of the PHC pays a membership fee of one month’s premium to be held in trust and applied to the 36th month’s health insurance premium. The commitment provides time for the program to get off the ground and determine the health insurance plans most appropriate for the members.

Wisconsin Medical Society Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. is a full service insurance agency that provides insurance products and insurance advice to the Wisconsin medical community. Wisconsin Medical Society Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of the Wisconsin Medical Society.

Wisconsin Medical Society launches DRconnection: a new on-line tool to help patients, physicians

release date: Monday, July 16, 2007

Patients throughout Wisconsin searching for a physician, or for information about a physician, have a new resource today. DRconnection, developed by the Wisconsin Medical Society, allows patients to search a database of all practicing physicians in Wisconsin by name, specialty, city, clinic or ZIP code.

But that search function is really just the beginning of the Society’s efforts to improve health care quality in Wisconsin. “We are extremely pleased with the launch of DRconnection,” said Society President Clarence Chou, MD. “It marks the completion of a key first step in the Wisconsin Medical Society’s critically important initiative to promote practice-level quality improvement that will ultimately lead to real change in our health care system.”

Because DRconnection is a data repository that brings together complete physician demographic information such as specialty, education, license number, practice information, hospital affiliations and more, its uses promise to extend far beyond a directory.

“By utilizing the data in DRconnection for quality improvement efforts like those of the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality, the Wisconsin Health Information Organization and the Wisconsin Hospital Association, individual physicians will be able to get feedback on how their performance measures up against their peers,” said Society CEO Susan L. Turney, MD. “And that, along with tools being developed by the Society, will help them in their efforts to improve patient care."

Dr. Turney added that in addition to its quality improvement role, DRconnection information will also be used for health care workforce planning and has the potential to lead to significant administrative cost savings. Every physician in Wisconsin has the ability to update and verify personal data at any time, and a certified verification organization will authenticate the information on a regular basis.

“DRconnection will give physicians the ability to maintain and transfer their own information to hospitals, clinics, state government, health plan and other relevant entities on an ongoing basis,” Turney said. “With one centralized, easy-to-use, convenient resource, the need to update and maintain information in multiple databases across different health systems, hospitals and regulatory offices is eliminated.”

The Society is hoping to work with state government to provide all physician-related information currently available to the public. This would include any discipline action the Medical Examining Board has taken to limit physicians’ license to practice medicine.

DRconnection can be accessed by clicking on the DRconnection logo at www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org. With more than 11,000 members dedicated to the best interests of their patients, the Wisconsin Medical Society is the largest association of medical doctors in the state and a trusted source for health policy leadership since 1841. Your Doctor. Your Health.

Click here to go directly to the DRconnection site.