Wisconsin’s Doctor Day has become one of the largest events of its kind across the country and serves as the premier advocacy event for physicians in our state. Over 500 physicians and medical students representing nearly every medical specialty participate in this annual event for an opportunity to learn the legislative process first-hand, and to make their voices heard at the State Capitol. Doctor Day 2019, scheduled for May 1 in Madison, will kick off with and advocacy primer followed by a briefing on current issues impacting physicians and the patients they serve. In the afternoon, attendees will meet with their legislators and/or legislative staff at the State Capitol, and the day will conclude with a reception at Madison’s. Learn more and sign up at www.WIDoctorday.org.

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:

Pediatric Stroke: A case report, review and management - Erica Tauck, MD, PGY III, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Neurology

Quantitative Analysis of Epileptic spikes using high density EEG: Differences between NREM and REM sleep
Xuan Kang, MD, University of Wisconsin – Department of Neurology

Seizure prophylaxis in the immediate post-hemorrhagic period in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
Salman Farooq, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin

Developing a process for IV tPA door-to-needle administration in 30 minutes or less, a multidisciplinary approach
Sumaiya Khondker, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin

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. 

WNS Annual Conference Recap      

October 19-20, 2018
Osthoff Resort, Elkhart Lake, WI    

2018 brought yet another successful annual conference for the Wisconsin Neurological Society!  We had 45 neurological physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, residents and others who practice in neurology in attendance.  We also are proud to have a record breaking 30 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. 

A special thank you to Dr. Jennifer Connelly, our CME Director for coordinating the presenters and educational activities. 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: Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Allergan Neurosciences, Alnylam, American Academy of Neurology, Amgen, Aspirus, Aurora Health Care, Avanir, Biogen, Boston Scientific Deep Brain Stimulation, Chiesi USA, EMD Serono, Froedtert and The Medical College of Wisconsin, Genentech, Greenwich Biosciences, Grifols Therapeutics, Impax, Lundbeck, Mayo Clinic Laboratories, Medtronic, Neurocrine Biosciences, Neurotech LLC, Novartis, Pfizer Inc, Sanofi Genzyme (2 tables), Teva Pharmaceuticals, UCB, and US Worldmeds.

Our appreciation to Dr. Terrence Cascino, Dr. Chad Carlson, Dr. Natalie Wheeler, Dr. Staley Brod, Dr. Fallon Schloemer, Dr. Kathleen Shannon and Dr. Eric Adelman for your contribution to the success of the conference by presenting to our attendees.

Special congratulations to our Bennett Hiner Award Winner - Brett Fulleylove-Krause. 

 The Bennett Hiner Research Award, supported by the Bennett Hiner Memorial Fund at the Wisconsin Neurological Society, is awarded each year to a medical student enrolled and in good standing at a Wisconsin medical school.

The award commemorates Bennett Carroll Hiner, son of Dr. Bradley Hiner and Susan Carroll. Bennett, who found his place in medicine and took great joy in helping others, died unexpectedly at the age of 26 while enrolled at the University of Southern California School of Medicine.  Award winners are selected based on a combination of their leadership in medical school and research in the neurosciences.

This year’s award will be presented October 20 at the WNS Annual Conference in Elkhart Lake - be sure to attend in order to hear more about the great work being researched!  Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the WNS website to submit an application for consideration next year.

July 12, Wisconsin Health News

Workers’ compensation premiums for businesses are set to decline by 6.03 percent this October, according to a statement from the Department of Workforce Development.

That could result in an estimated $134 million in annual savings for businesses, the Tuesday statement noted. It’s the third year that workers’ compensation rates have declined, following an 8.46 percent decrease last year and a 3.19 percent decline in 2016.

“A safe workplace results in a more productive and profitable one for employers,” Ted Nickel, insurance commissioner, said in a statement. "Employers are recognizing the relation between their employees' safety and the savings that ensue as premiums continue to decline."

Mark Grapentine, senior vice president of government relations for the Wisconsin Medical Society, said the report shows that “good news keeps coming” for the state’s workers’ compensation program.

“We’re already a national model, with faster return to work, fantastic patient satisfaction and ready access to the highest-quality healthcare in the nation – all at a cost per claim that is below the national average,” he wrote in an email. “Another significant insurance rate reduction is just more evidence that Wisconsin’s system is win-win for both businesses and their employees.”

Grapentine added that there’s room for improvement, pointing to a need for the state’s on-the-job injury rate drop below the national average. He added that healthcare providers are “always striving to find better ways to improve care.”

Chris Reader, director of health and human resources policy, also lauded the announcement. He said the reduction follows a national trend as employers and workers have invested in and focused on safety. But he noted that costs for medical treatment for workplace injuries are on the rise.

“Had Wisconsin enacted a medical fee schedule like almost every other state, medical costs also would have been kept in check and the insurance reduction today would have been even greater," he wrote in an email.

Reader also argued that the rate reduction doesn’t mean much to fully-insured employers who don’t pay insurance costs and are left footing “incredibly high medical bills.”

Proposals to establish a fee schedule haven't gained traction with lawmakers.

Read the Capitol Hill Report

June 25, 2018

Neurology Well-represented at the AMA House of Delegates Annual Meeting

The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates annual meeting in Chicago wrapped up on June 13. The House of Delegates is the policymaking body of the AMA and is comprised of more than 600 delegates from state medical associations and national medical specialty societies. Delegates bring resolutions to the meeting on topics important to their states or specialties and the House debates them to determine which ones should be voted as official policy of the AMA.

It was a productive meeting for the AAN delegation, which co-sponsored four resolutions and participated in active debate on several Academy priorities. "The Academy and neurologists' presence was noticeable in this meeting," said delegation Chair Shannon Kilgore. "From working with other societies to craft language and cosponsor resolutions, to networking with our fellow neurologists representing state societies, to welcoming incoming and current resident neurologists to our deliberations, the AAN was able to extend the reach of our positions. As a small delegation, this collaboration was important to accomplishing common neurology goals." Dr. Kilgore represented neurology to the entire House of Delegates as Chair and Moderator of the Reference Committee on Public Health, and neurologist Joshua Cohen, MD, spoke to all delegates as Chair of the AMA Foundation.

A big thanks to the AAN delegation: Chair Shannon Kilgore, MD, FAAN; Delegates Nicholas Johnson, MD, FAAN, and Mark Milstein, MD, FAAN; Alternate Delegates Skip Davison, MD, FAAN, and Eddie Patton, MD, MS; Young Physician Delegate Ann Murray, MD; and Resident and Fellow Delegate Jonathan Santoro, MD.

• Close to fifteen resolutions addressed the high cost of prescription drugs. The AAN delegation cosponsored resolutions supporting reforms to the Orphan Drug Act, transparency for pharmacy benefit managers, and improving support for biosimilar development. The latter two resolutions were both adopted as AMA policy. The House voted for further study into potential changes to the Orphan Drug Act and that report will be shared at the 2018 interim meeting.
• Medical marijuana and opioids were also widely discussed. Delegates debated the importance of education for physicians and patients and the need for universal terms to describe the different types of medical cannabis products. The House also voted to remove barriers to opioid-use disorder treatment following an emotional speech from US Surgeon General Jerome Adams, MD, about the impact the opioid epidemic has had in his own family. Psychiatrist and AMA President-elect Patrice Harris, MD, chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force, will continue to elevate this issue and other neuroscience priorities over the next year. AAN member David B. Watson, MD, FAAN, represents the Academy on the AMA Opioid Task Force.
• Delegates debated other hot topics throughout the meeting, including:
  • Immigration: The AMA adopted new policy that opposes the practice of separating migrating children from their caregivers in the absence of immediate physical or emotional threats to the child's well-being and urges the federal government to withdraw its policy of requiring separation of migrating children from their caregivers. The AAN supports this policy to protect the neurologic health and well-being of migrant children.
  • Gun violence: Delegates adopted comprehensive policy on gun violence that allows the AMA to support limits on access to firearms for persons with domestic violence records, recognize the role of firearms in suicides, advocate for schools to remain gun-free zones, oppose concealed carry reciprocity, and support bans on assault-type weapons, bump stocks, high-capacity magazines, and armor piercing bullets.
  • Physician-assisted death: An AMA report on aid-in-dying was referred for further study. During the debate, delegates from several states and specialties cited the AAN's work on this topic as particularly thoughtful and well-developed policy on this topic.

The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce completed its markup of 57 bills relating to the opioid crisis last week. The wide-ranging bills authorize more than $1 billion in new funding to address the opioid crisis and include regulatory actions, data and reporting requirements, treatment protocols, treatment centers, grants and loan assistance. The bills also address changes for Medicaid, Medicare and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The new funding, which totals $1,060,500,000, is earmarked for the following:

• $440.5 million for treatment protocols related to infection education related to injections ($220 million), reauthorization of the Poison Control Centers ($155.5 million), hospital protocols ($80 million), and demonstration projects for substance use disorder (SUD) ($5 million).
• $250 million for a loan repayment program for SUD providers.
• $195 million for new grants for public health laboratories and community recovery programs.
• $110 million for the FDA to increase seizure authority for illicit and counterfeit drugs being shipped through the mail.
• $60 million for new treatment centers being established as “Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers.”
• $5 million for reporting purposes.

The bills now move to the full U.S. House of Representatives for action, which is expected sometime this summer.

For more information on the individual bills, visit the Energy and Commerce site on opioid legislation, or contact H.J. Waukau, the Society’s manager of advocacy and regulatory affairs.

Physicians who were previously ineligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program may now qualify under a temporary opportunity announced yesterday by Federal Student Aid. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 has made possible limited funding on a first-come, first-serve basis for loan forgiveness of some or all payments of Federal Direct loans.

To find out if you are eligible, to learn more about the program or to apply, visit StudentAid.gov. Borrowers with questions also may contact FedLoan Servicing at 855.265.4038 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.