The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) plans to launch the new Wisconsin Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (ePDMP) on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

2015 Act 266 requires physicians and other prescribers to check patient information from the ePDMP before issuing a prescription for any controlled substance beginning April 1, 2017. (More information, including exceptions to the requirement to consult the PDMP, in this nonpartisan Legislative Council memo.)

All prescribers will have to register to use the ePDMP—even if they are registered with and use the current system, which is being replaced and will not be available after Jan. 17.

The new ePDMP is designed to promote streamlined workflow integrations and improved data quality using analytics and visualizations to draw user’s attention to the most relevant and possibly concerning data in each report.

Questions about the ePDMP can be directed to pdmp@wisconsin.gov.

January 5, Wisconsin Health News

The number of Wisconsin residents in accredited rural-focused residency programs jumped 10 percent from the previous year, according to a December report from the Wisconsin Rural Physician Residency Assistance Program. 

There were a total of 87 residents in the programs as of the end of November. That's up from 79 the previous year. 

Between Dec. 1, 2015 and Nov. 30, 2016, WRPRAP awarded seven grants, totaling $528,866.

Some programs supported by WRPRAP are looking to bring in their first residents this year. The Aurora Lakeland Rural Training Track Family Medicine Program, which hopes to have 12 residents by July 2020, is recruiting its first four residents.

The Assembly Committee on Health and the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services for the 2017-18 Session have been set. Committee membership is as follows:

Assembly Committee on Health

• Representative Joe Sanfelippo, R- New Berlin (Chair)
• Representative Kathy Bernier, R – Chippewa Falls (Vice-Chair)
• Representative James Edming, R – Glen Flora
• Representative Ken Skowronski, R - Franklin
• Representative Jesse Kremer, R - Kewaskum
• Representative Chuck Wichgers, R - Muskego
• Representative Dave Murphy, R - Greenville
• Representative Andre Jacque, R – De Pere
• Representative Deb Kolste, D Janesville
• Representative JoCasta Zamarripa, D – Milwaukee
• Representative Lisa Subeck, D - Madison
• Representative Chris Taylor, D - Madison

Senate Committee on Health and Human Services

• Senator Leah Vukmir, R – Brookfield (Chair)
• Senator Terry Moulton, R – Chippewa Falls (Vice-Chair)
• Senator Devin LeMahieu, R - Oostburg
• Senator Jon Erpenbach, D - Middleton
• Senator LaTonya Johnson, D - Milwaukee

When Ascension formally acquired Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare in 2016, it gave the nation's largest nonprofit health system a firm foothold in the state. Ascension Wisconsin, which also includes Ministry Health Care and Columbia St.  Mary's Health System, now boasts 24 hospitals and more than 100 clinics.   In August, Ascension tapped Columbia St. Mary's CEO Travis Andersen to head its south region and Wheaton executive Debra Standridge to oversee the northern part of the state.   At a Wisconsin Health News Newsmaker event on Feb. 7 in Milwaukee, Andersen and Standridge will take part in a wide-ranging discussion on the system's future in the state.  Register now.

When: February 7, 11:30 to 1 p.m. (discussion begins promptly at noon). 

Where: Wisconsin Club, 900 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, 53233 

Panelists:

Travis Anderson, south region president, Ascension Wisconsin

Debra Standridge, north region president, Ascension Wisconsin