"Retired Medical Professionals Needed"

Retired doctors and nurses are no longer legally prohibited from lending a hand because of insurance concerns. They can now help in case of an emergency. It is a state-wide change... The first of it's kind in the country and it started in La Crosse.          Ramona Johnson... "I hope the need does not arise, but I am enjoying retirement, but I will come back and help out, so thank you."

           With those words... And with her signature on a healthcare volunteer registration form... Retired nurse ramona johnson pledged her assistance during a state of emergency.

          That's because wisconsin will now provide liability and workers' compensation insurance... For a medical professional to practice again if called upon.

          It's an initiative launched because doctors here saw a need... And called on representative mike huebsch to act.

           Mike Huebsch... "This is legislation I hope we never have to enact, I hope we'll never have to use the individuals who are going to sign up today, the people who will sign up across the state. But if we do, it's encouraging to know that people thought about this well in advance."

           People... Like Doctor William Agger.

           "There are not extra doctors or nurses around, and in case of an epidemic, we can expect, like most of society, doctors and nurses can become ill, perhaps at a rate of 20-percent or higher."

           The state-wide insurance provision will hopefully act to keep recently-retired medical professionals... Ones certified during the past 10 years... In the fold... In case an outbreak of something like bird-flu became a pandemic here.

         James Terman... "The community's going to need to recognize that we're all in this together as a local community, because if any of these disasters occur, they're probably going to be multi-centric, occurring in various communities all over the country and all over the state, so we each have to turn to our own resources."

        Resources now a little bit larger.    The emergency health care volunteer bill allows most retired medical professionals in wisconsin to participate. Those interested... can contact their hospital's volunteer department... to learn more.

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