Proposed state legislation would put video cameras in every Wisconsin OR: 6 things to know

A bill under consideration in the Wisconsin State Legislature would install video cameras in every operating room in the state to document potential safety mishaps, per the patient's request, according to a report from FOX6.

Here are five things to know.

1. Legislators first introduced the bill, Assembly Bill 863, in December of last year. If passed, Wisconsin would be the first state in the U.S. where patients can opt to have their surgeries recorded. Four Democrats and two Republicans are sponsoring the bill, which will likely meet stiff opposition from lobbyists on behalf of the Wisconsin Medical Society.

2. Opponents of the bill argue the surgery footage, which patients could use in court, would likely generate more lawsuits and do little to improve patient safety.

3. Christine Sinicki, a Milwaukee Democrat and one of the bill's sponsors, said the bill is not intended to fuel more lawsuits. She said the bill would place a single camera in operating rooms, which would serve as "room surveillance."

"The goal is certainly not to attack hospitals or doctors," Ms. Sinicki told FOX6.

4. Ann Zenk, RN, vice president of workforce and clinical practice with the Wisconsin Hospital Association, described the bill as "an ill-conceived proposal that could harm the relationship between the patient and the healthcare provider," according to a statement cited by FOX6.

"Improving the quality and safety of care will hardly be furthered by this legislation, and it may, in fact, do just the opposite," said Ms. Zenk. "Cameras do not improve quality and patient safety in the operating room. We are disappointed with this legislation and the rationale behind its creation."

5. A part of the impetus for bill comes from the 2013 death of Laura Nowakowki, who died from a surgical error at HSHS St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. Her husband, Chris Nowakowski, recently spoke at a press conference in support of the bill.

6. HSHS St. Vincent Hospital has not acknowledged fault in the death of Ms. Nowakowski, but did hang a cross in its facility in her memory.

"It is our hope that the cross bearing her name, which hangs prominently at HSHS St. Vincent Hospital, is a reminder to her family that her life and memory will never be forgotten," said the hospital in a statement to FOX6. "In Laura's case, an extensive review of every detail was completed. As a result of that review, we are fully confident that a camera(s) in the operating room at any time before, during or after her treatment would not have had any impact on the outcome of her case."

More articles on quality: 
4 technology must-haves for better documentation and patient care 
West Virginia hospital suspends elective surgeries over particulate matter on sterile trays 
Adverse events significantly higher among interhospital transfer patients

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

 

Featured Whitepapers

Featured Webinars