Froedtert ThedaCare Committed to Delivering Appropriate Levels of Care for Every Person
Local health care systems are asking the State Senate to approve legislation aimed at ensuring Wisconsin residents receive appropriate levels of care before the end of the upcoming legislative session.
Assembly Bill 598 aims at making it easier for incapacitated patients to receive appropriate post-acute care. Many families, including spouses, do not realize that without a pre-established medical power of attorney they are unable to assist their incapacitated loved ones when they need to be transferred from an acute-care hospital to a post-acute care rehab facility. The bill, often referred to as “next of kin” legislation, would allow for family members, including spouses, to have limited authority to make necessary patient care decisions without waiting weeks or months, and spending thousands of dollars, for a court to determine guardianship.
“Ensuring patients receive the right care, at the right place, at the right time is fundamental to our mission at Froedtert ThedaCare,” said Imran Andrabi, MD, FAAFM, president and CEO of Froedtert ThedaCare. “By connecting people to the appropriate level of care when they need it, we can help improve outcomes, reduce unnecessary delays and better serve the health and well-being of the communities that rely on us.”
According to data from the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA), one of the most significant reasons hospital emergency departments face patient backlogs is due to delays in other patients being transferred to post-acute care facilities.
“Because of the current situation in our state, some patients are unnecessarily waiting in a hospital, many in emergency departments, due to the inability to transfer patients out of the hospital that no longer need our care,” said Dr. Andrabi. “This also means that patients may not be able to receive the appropriate post-acute care they need, while other patients are forced to wait for necessary acute care.”
“Very few pieces of legislation have an immediate impact on access to care in a Wisconsin hospital. Passing Assembly Bill 598 is one of those opportunities,” said Wisconsin Hospital Association President/CEO Kyle O’Brien. “WHA has been proud to work with both Republicans and Democrats in the state legislature, in addition to Governor Evers, to find bipartisan agreement on this legislation – and we still need the Senate to act.”
In the next two weeks, the Wisconsin State Senate is set to have its final floor period before the legislature adjourns. The Assembly passed Assembly Bill 598 with overwhelming bipartisan support in mid-February and the Governor has committed to sign the legislation into law, if passed.
“We ask the State Senate to ensure this “next of kin” legislation passes the state legislature to help our health care systems continue to provide appropriate care for Wisconsin residents,” said Dr. Andrabi. “Patients and families deserve clear pathways to access the care they need. Our goal is to make it easier for every person to receive the right care, at the right time, so they can focus on what matters most — their health and recovery.”
To learn more about this legislation, please visit WHA’s website at: https://www.wha.org/advocacy/key-issues/n/next-of-kin-legislation
About Froedtert ThedaCare
Froedtert ThedaCare is an integrated health care system serving nearly half of Wisconsin’s population. Its 28,000+ team members, physicians and clinicians are transforming communities through prediction, prevention and partnerships with excellence in primary and specialty care in 20 hospitals and more than 360 outpatient locations. Together with the Medical College of Wisconsin, we form the region’s only academic medical center providing the foundation for groundbreaking medical research and excellence in education to accelerate discovery and drive innovation. The system is uniquely positioned to be the trusted partner in advancing the health our communities.