Governor Evers and Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm today exercised their authority under Article V, Section 4 of the Wisconsin Constitution and Sections 323.12(4) and 252.02(6) of the Wisconsin Statutes to simplify healthcare license renewals during the COVID-19 public health emergency and to encourage recently retired professionals with expired licenses to re-enter practice. This full order is available online (link).

The order includes the following policy changes:

·       Interstate Reciprocity: allows any out-of-state health can provider licensed and in good standing to practice in Wisconsin without a Wisconsin credential. The order requires the out-of-state physician to apply for a temporary or permanent Wisconsin license within 10 days of first working at a Wisconsin health care facility; and the health care facility must notify DSPS within 5 days. The order temporarily suspends the visiting physician practice limitations in Med 3.04. 

·       Temporary License: Any temporary licensed to an out-of-state provider during the emergency will be valid until 30 days after the conclusion of the emergency. 

·       Telemedicine: Allows physicians licensed and in good standing in Wisconsin, another U.S. state or Canada to provide telemedicine services to Wisconsin residents. 

·       Physician Assistants: Suspends several current rules regulating the practice of PAs in Wisconsin. This includes: the requirement of PAs to notify the MEB of changes to their supervising physician within 20 days (order changes it to 40 days); the requirement that PAs limit their scope of practice to that of their supervising physician (the order allows them to practice to the extent of their experience, education, training and abilities. It also allows them to delegate tasks to another health provider); the physician to PA ratio of 4:1 (the order allows a physician to oversee up to 8 on-duty PAs at a time, but there is no limit on how many PAs a physician may provide supervision to over time. It also allows a PA to be supervised by multiple physicians while on duty). 

·       Nurse Training and Practice: The order suspends many rules related to nursing. This includes suspending a rule that prohibits simulations from being utilized for more than 50% of the time designated for meeting clinical learning requirements. It also suspends the requirement for nurses to submit an official transcript in order to get a temporary license and allows a temporary license to remain valid for up to 6 months. In addition, it suspends the rule requiring license renewal within 5 years. 

·       Advanced Practice Nurse Prescribers: Temporarily suspends the requirement that Nurse Prescribers must facilitate collaboration with other health care professionals, at least 1 of whom shall be a physician or dentist.

·       Recently Expired Credentials: Requires the state to reach out to individuals with recently lapsed credentials about renewal options. The order also suspends many of the late renewal fees and continuing education requirements for most health professions. The order temporarily suspends MED 14.06(2)(a) to allow a physician whose license lapsed less than 5 years ago to renew without fulfilling the continuing education requirements. It also suspends RAD 5.01 (1) and (2) to allow radiographers or LXMO permit holders who have let their license lapse renew without completing continuing education. 

·       Fees: The order also gives DHS the ability to suspend fees or assessments related to health care provider credentialing. 

The order is effective immediately and will remain in effect through the duration of the public health emergency.

The full version of the Governor’s press release is available online (link).

Governor Evers directed the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to temporarily order the suspension of evictions and foreclosures amid the COVID-19 public health emergency. The full order is available online (link).

The order prohibits landlords from evicting tenants for any reason unless failure to proceed with the eviction will result in an imminent threat of serious physical harm to another person and mortgagees from commencing civil action to foreclose on real estate for 60 days. Wisconsinites who are able to continue to meet their financial obligations are urged to do so. This order does not in any way relieve a person's obligation to pay their rent or mortgages.

The full press release is available on the Governor’s website (link).

The Wisconsin Neurological Society is now accepting applications for the Bennett Hiner Research Award.  The Award is presenting to a medical student enrolled at one of the state’s medical schools in recognition for extra-ordinary service, leadership and research in the neurosciences and allied-health students.

This award is in memory of Bennett Hiner, son of long-time Society member Dr. Bradley Hiner. Bennett passed away unexpectedly in November of 2011. He was a leader in his medical school class at the University of Southern California and actively involved in neuroscience research.

Qualified applicants are medical students enrolled in either the Medical College of Wisconsin or the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health; graduate and allied health students who have completed neuroscience research within two years of the application for the award; have demonstrated leadership experience while enrolled in medical school or graduate programs; and have submitted the application and research abstract.

Applicants should submit their applications and abstracts to the WNS Office by July 31, 2020. A winner will be selected by August 31, and notified in September.  The Society will invite the Award winner to the WNS Annual Conference, during lunch on Saturday, October 17 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

Find out more details here. 

The AAN will host a FREE webinar featuring best practices on implementing telemedicine services and updates on changing US regulations during the novel coronavirus Public Health Emergency.

Thursday, March 26, 2020, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET

REGISTER NOW!

In the face of COVID-19, the AAN has developed resources for the neurology community around this rapidly evolving pandemic. The COVID-19 Neurology Resource Center is a great page for the latest resources and guidance from the AAN and other trusted organizations to help you care for neurologic patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are updating the website as often as new information comes out, so check back on AAN.com/COVID19 often for resource updates.

Fellow neurologists,

I hope your new year is off to a great start.  Let me start off this message with a thank you to Dr. Dulli for his great job serving as president of the Society for the last 2 years.  I would also like to welcome Drs. Fee, Struck and Young to their roles as President-Elect,  Vice President and Treasurer, respectively.  We're off to a great start and look forward to a very eventful and positive year.

We will be meeting in medicine for Doctor Day at the Capital on Wednesday, January 29th.  There is still time to sign up for this informative and important event.  It is a great opportunity to network with other physicians and influence our legislators on issues important to our patients, practice and profession.

Our annual meeting in 2020 will again be at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells.  We're looking forward to an excellent educational program.  We will again have guest speakers sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, along with our local and statewide presenters and experts.  Updates on advocacy and other national issues will be provided by Academy experts.  There will be plenty of opportunity for networking among the attendees.

I will be meeting with the program director at the University Wisconsin neurology residency and will be giving Grand Rounds on June 8th this year.  I've asked Dr. Fee to make similar in roads at the Medical College of Wisconsin.  Our hope is to get more Residents to attend are annual meeting and build our WI future neurologists.  I know that many neurologists would love to have the opportunity to interact with our colleagues in training.  In addition to the research presentations and awards we're asking the residents for ideas that might increase their involvement.

Your input is always welcome.  Our goal is to make the Wisconsin Neurological Society a great value to our members. I am looking forward to another great year and look forward to seeing you all soon.

Sincerely,

Donn Dexter, MD

President, WNS

The Wisconsin Medical Society continues to lead the conversation on well-being and empowerment for physicians and health care teams with this follow-up to last year’s successful event. Designed to energize collaborative efforts to advance proven solutions for increasing clinician empowerment, retention and satisfaction – come be a part of this critical conversation.

For more information and to register, click the link below:

https://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/professional/professional-development/physician-leadership/well-being-empowerment-forum/

2019 brought yet another successful annual conference for the Wisconsin Neurological Society!  We had 50 neurological physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, residents and others who practice in neurology in attendance.  We also are proud to have a record breaking 39 exhibitors come to support the organization and display their technological advances in the field of neurology.  Eight speakers presented on a vast array of neurological topics, as well as the traditional Forster Award Competition featuring four residents. 

Our CME Sessions have had rave reviews with variations and advances in the field of neurology. If you have not had a chance to complete your evaluation, please be sure to do so in order to claim CME credit, also. 

Our thanks to the following exhibitors for their support: 

AbbVie Inc, Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Allergan, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, American Academy of Neurology, Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Bellin Health, Biogen, Boston Scientific DBS, BriovaRx, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, EMD Serono, Froedtert & The Medical College of WI,  Genentech, Grifols, Gundersen Health, INSIGHTEC, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Lilly USA, LLC,  Lundbeck, Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic Laboratories, Medtronic, Neurocrine BioSciences,  Neurotech, Novartis, PMT Corporation, Portola Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi Genzyme, SI-BONE, Sunovion, Supernus, Teva Pharmaceuticals,  UCB, US Worldmeds.

Our appreciation to Dr. Sarah Song, Dr. Jessica Baker, Dr. Timothy Young, Kerri Crank, Dr. Susanne Seeger, Dr. Sterling Johnson, Dr. Matt Harmelink, Dr. Natalie Wheeler, Dr. Natasha Frost, Dr. Elizabeth Lake, Dr. Elizabeth Felton, Marianne Crabb, and Dr. Brett Kissela.

Special congratulations to our Bennett Hiner Award Winner - Jennifer Meylor, and also the WNS Forster Award Competition Winner - Dr. Marek Cierney, and Runners Up - Dr. Pamela Youssef and Dr. Heydi Flores-Podadera. 

Lastly, special thank you to Dr. Doug Dulli who will finish his term as President at the end of the year! Picture of President Dr. Dulli below & Incoming President Dr.Donn Dexter below.

We look forward to seeing you in WI Dells at the Kalahari Resort in 2020, October 16-17th!

The WNS was proud to introduce new leaders at the 2019 Annual Meeting in Wisconsin Dells, October 19th. The new members will begin their 2 year terms January 1, 2020. 

• President – Dr Donn Dexter
  
• President-Elect – Dr Dominic Fee
  
• Vice President - Dr Aaron Struck
• Secretary/Treasurer - Dr Timothy Young

The CME Chair position will be filled by Dr. Jennifer Connelly and the Past President Position automatically filled by Dr. Douglas Dulli.

A special thank you to board member Dr. Rodrigo Merino who will finish his term at the end of the year.

The Wisconsin Neurological Society honors a long-standing tradition of recognizing resident research by holding an annual competition for the Francis M. Forster Research Award. 

The featured Resident Presenters this year were:

Door-in to Door-Out Time in Emergent Large Vessel Occlusion: Retrospective Review Informs Targeted Improvement Strategies
Marek Cierny, MD, Medical College of WI, Neurology – Post Graduate Year 4

Surgical Outcomes and Intracranial EEG Findings in Drug-resistant Non-LesionalEpilepsy with Temporal Lobe Features on Scalp Video-EEG
Pamela Youssef, MD, Medical College of WI, Neurology – Post Graduate Year 4

A 58 Year Old Male with Rapidly Progressive Quadriparesis and Respiratory Distress

Heydi Flores-Podadera, MD
UW Madison School of Medicine and Public Health – Dept of Neurology

The award is named for Francis M. Forster, MD, one of the founders of the American Academy of Neurology. He was considered an internationally-recognized expert in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy and a prominent neurologist. 

We'd like to congratulate this year's winner Dr. Marek Cierney, as well as Dr. Heydi Flores-Podadera and Dr. Pamela Youssef for their outstanding work in the field of neurology. Each resident received a cash stipend for participating

.