Month: April 2011

Public health officials are warning communities about reports of serious side effects in people who have purchased products sold as bath salts, but which have been ingested to produce a hallucinogenic high. At least five cases have been reported, said Henry Anderson, a physician and chief medical officer for environmental and occupational health in the Wisconsin Division of Public Health. (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/25)

Sheriff Todd Nehls has served notice that smoking will no longer be tolerated in Dodge County taverns. Incidents of blatant disregard of the statewide smoking ban by tavern owners, bartenders and patrons have spurred Nehls to order unannounced bar checks and to issue citations for those breaking the law. (FOND DU LAC REPORTER, 4/25)

In recent years Washington has taken an obsolete program, which covers health care for low-income Americans, and made it worse through restrictive rule-making that defies common sense. It is biased toward caring for people in nursing homes rather than in their own homes and neighborhoods. It lacks the flexibility to help patients who require some nursing services, but not round-the-clock care. (NEW YORK TIMES, 4/22)

The idea of a placing a veterans nursing home at the Northern Center grounds has been around for about eight years, born partly out of efforts to make use of the property and replace the jobs lost as the Northern Center was downsized. The proposal for a 72-bed facility is finally getting funding in the proposed state budget. Area nursing home owners are opposed to the veterans home, and that includes Hablieb, who appeared before the board to voice opposition to the resolution. Nevertheless, the resolution supporting the veterans home passed 16-10. (CHIPPEWA HERALD, 4/21)

Merge Healthcare Inc., a medical software and services company, will receive $500,000 in potential tax credits and a $500,000 loan from the Department of Commerce to consolidate its operations in Hartland, Gov. Scott Walker announced Wednesday. The company, based in Chicago, moved its operations in Milwaukee to Hartland last year after acquiring another company. (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/21)

The state Department of Regulation and Licensing and the Medical Examining Board said Wednesday that they had opened investigations into eight individuals who allegedly wrote doctor excuse notes for protesters at the state Capitol during rallies in February. Last month, the Department of Regulation and Licensing said it had identified 11 people who may have provided the medical excuses, and it asked them to submit information about their activities at the Capitol. (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/21)

U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl and U.S. representatives Ron Kind, Tammy Baldwin and Gwen Moore asked Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to stop pursuing proposed changes to the SeniorCare prescription drug program included in the state budget proposal. In a letter to Gov. Walker, the Wisconsin lawmakers pledged to intervene if the state moved forward with changes that would dismantle the program. (MILWAUKEE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/21)

A University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health organization that has been criticized for its advocacy of controversial uses of narcotic painkillers says it has decided to stop taking money from the drug industry. UW made the announcement after an April 3 investigative report in the Journal Sentinel revealed that its UW Pain & Policy Studies Group had taken about $2.5 million over a decade from companies that make opioids. (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/21)