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On February 10, members of the Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists were among more than 370 physicians participating in Wisconsin’s third annual Doctor Day at the Capitol legislative advocacy conference. WSA joined with twenty other specialty medical societies and the Wisconsin Medical Society to host this ever-growing multispecialty conference whose express purpose is to strengthen individual specialty society’s political efforts by working en masse to promote both issues of common interest, as well as timely specialty-specific issues.
Introduced by Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists Past President Lois Connolly, M.D., Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch provided welcoming remarks about surviving cancer. As part of that experience, she shared being told by her physician anesthesiologist when requiring emergency surgery for her cancer “there are angels all around you.” Kleefisch provided that physician anesthesiologist, Dr. Connolly, with a strong hug at the end of her remarks.
After a morning information/education session for attendees, physicians representing a number of medical specialties including anesthesiology, family physicians, radiology, and surgery, spoke with their lawmakers on issues such as scope of practice efforts by physical therapists and chiropractors and heroin/opioid abuse prevention and education. Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists President Josh Sebranek, M.D., also shared with the audience ASA’s efforts to fight for patient safety by maintaining physician-led care within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He urged attendees to submit comments as soon as possible to SafeVAcare.org. Physician anesthesiologists including Drs. Lois Connolly, Rose Campise-Luther, Josh Sebranek, James Nicolson, Elizabeth Yun, Robert Koebert, and a number of physician anesthesiologist residents attended this important event.
Physician anesthesiologists are strongly encouraged to similarly attend their state medical associations’ lobby days. These are critical events that offer an opportunity to develop and maintain relationships with state lawmakers. Additionally, these events serve as opportune platforms to encourage medical colleagues to submit comments in support of maintaining physician-led care for Veterans.
