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Evers issues order to expand healthcare workforce amid rising COVID-19 cases

evers
Posted at 7:07 PM, Oct 01, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-01 20:07:24-04

MADISON — Gov. Evers and Secretary-designee Palm issued an order Thursday they hope will expand Wisconsin's health care workforce in order to meet residents' dire needs as coronavirus cases continue to spiral upwards.

Emergency Order #2 does several things. It allows temporary interstate license reciprocity for healthcare providers to work in Wisconsin healthcare facilities; extends licenses that may expire during the federal emergency declaration for 30 days after its conclusion; and allows healthcare providers with a recently lapsed license to apply for a reinstatement with the Department of Safety and Professional Services.

The order further allows out-of-state physicians to practice telemedicine in Wisconsin with proper notification of DSPS.

The order is effective immediately. The order will remain in effect during the declared federal public health emergency, according to Evers' office Thursday.

“We are seeing alarming trends here in Wisconsin, with today seeing our highest number of new cases in a single day, and yesterday seeing our highest death count,” said Gov. Evers in a release. “Our hospitals are being stretched to the limit, and we need to take action to assist our frontline medical professionals with their life-saving work.”

Click here to see the full order.

Nearly 3,000 new positive COVID-19 tests were reported by the state Thursday, setting a new single-day record for positive coronavirus cases in Wisconsin.

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