WORH State News

Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program: 9th Funding Cycle Submissions

mlradtke — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:31:22 +0000

According to the HWPP May e-newsletter, invitations have been extended to 30 Letter of Intent applicants to submit full proposals to HWPP during the 9th Funding Cycle. They represent 6 Impact and 24 Development proposals. Of the 24 Development proposals, 6 have been submitted from rural served areas. (Source: MCW HWPP) [Website]

NRHA Volunteer of the Year - Bill Sexton

mlradtke — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:41:06 +0000

Bill Sexton is the CEO of Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital. Bill has been an integral part of NRHA for over a decade, including president in 2006. A congratulation “shout out” to Bill for his never-ending compassion, service and willingness to help on rural health issues. (Source: NRHA YouTube) [Watch]

Ian Stormont Honored with the NRHA Student Achievement Award

mlradtke — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:23:18 +0000

Ian Stormont is a fourth-year medical student in the Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. He worked with Scenic Rivers Area Health Education Council and the Gundersen Hospital in La Crosse, Wis., to create, fund and implement a week-long health careers camp for Native American high school students.

Rescue Squad Works To Improve Services

mlradtke — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:48:36 +0000

The Cuba City Area Rescue Squad (CCARS) is expanding its services to include the use of intravenous (I.V.) technology. CCARS will be able to offer advanced emergency medical care to its patients. The process to apply for and receive approval from the State EMS office for the Advanced EMT level contains several steps. The AEMT builds upon the skills and knowledge of an experienced EMT. The course is 150 hours in length, which includes both classroom and clinical/field experience.

Increased Medicaid Payments Should Begin In Fourth Quarter, DHS Says

mlradtke — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:43:20 +0000

The article states that the Wisconsin Department of Health Services recently notified the Wisconsin Medical Society that it does not expect to begin making increased Medicaid payments to primary care physicians until the fourth quarter of this year.

Lawmakers Support More Equitable Geographic Measures

mlradtke — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:31:34 +0000

The Wisconsin Medical Society worked with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to encourage development of a more equitable way to determine the geographic measures used to calculate the Medicare reimbursement rate for physicians. Lawmakers joined 16 other members of Congress in this letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services questioning the Geographic Practice Cost Indices (GPCI).

Uninsured, Low Income Visits To Hospitals Up 30 Percent Since 2006

mlradtke — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:56:06 +0000

The JS article stated that more than 1 million visits to Wisconsin's hospitals were by patients who were uninsured and low income in 2011 - an increase of more than 30% since 2006, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association Information Center's annual Guide to Wisconsin Hospitals. (Source: Milw Journal Sentinel) [Read article]

Call For Stricter Blood Alcohol Concentrations Limits Draws Mixed Reaction

mlradtke — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:19:43 +0000

The National Transportation Safety Board recommended this week that states lower the minimum limit on Blood Alcohol Concentrations for drunk driving from .08 to .05. The federal agency argues the limits would make the roads safer and help reduce highway deaths attributed to drunk driving. Alcohol plays a role in 40 percent of the fatal crashes in Wisconsin each year. The proposal is raising concerns among bar owners. (Source: WI Radio Network) [Read article]