As of September 1, Ascension Wisconsin will embark on a new venture by partnering with critical care physicians from TeamHealth, a well-established nationwide staffing organization. This collaboration, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on August 11, could potentially lead to a decrease in the number of physicians in certain Intensive Care Units (ICUs). St. Louis-rooted Ascension’s Wisconsin division is terminating contracts with local physician groups, shifting instead to Knoxville, Tennessee-based TeamHealth.
Through this strategic move, Ascension Wisconsin seeks to streamline its critical care services by aligning staffing and resources more effectively with the varying degrees of patient conditions that our hospitals care for, as expressed in a statement released by the health system. This alignment process entails the transition from multiple critical care contractors and models to a single physician group of intensivists employed by TeamHealth – a significant maneuver that is still being strategically planned, with no final decision reached yet. Despite the ongoing developmental stage, the overarching plan is to ensure a 24/7 on-site provider presence across all acute care hospitals, coupled with round-the-clock access to intensivists.
However, this staffing strategy is not without its concerns. Four physicians from Ascension Wisconsin, who requested to remain anonymous, voiced their fears to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel regarding potential risks to patient care if physician staffing levels decrease. In response, Ascension Wisconsin clarified that the decision to collaborate with TeamHealth resulted from an extensive, highly competitive request for proposal process.
The health system cited TeamHealth’s ability to offer comprehensive intensivist services across the entire Ascension Wisconsin system as the deciding factor. More information is expected to come from TeamHealth soon. Future developments will be reported as they arise.