Hospitals: Emergency contraception bill wouldn't change policies much
by Brian D. Bridgeford ¦ Baraboo News Republic ¦ 17 December 2007 While state legislators are tussling over a bill to ensure every rape victim has access to emergency contraception after they are assaulted, most hospitals in the area say they already make the medication available. This week, the Wisconsin Assembly passed a law that requires hospitals to provide information about emergency birth control, the so-called morning-after pill, to rape victims. If the victim requests it, the law would require hospitals to provide the pills. The Assembly approved the measure Tuesday. Wisconsin senators approved the bill in May, but must pass it again since the language was altered in the Assembly. The Assembly must vote again in January to ship the bill back to the state Senate. Supporters say that vote is a given and the bill is a done deal, the AP reported. "Good win," Sen. Judy Robson, a Beloit Democrat who helped write the bill, declared Wednesday. Supporters say the pill would spare assault victims the added trauma of pregnancy. Critics contend it can prevent embryos from implanting in wombs and amount to abortion — a flash point for Republicans. The opponents say the interlude will give them time to launch one last lobbying effort to defeat the measure. And if that doesn't work, they might sue. "This is not over by any means," said Peggy Hamill, state director of Pro-Life Wisconsin. St. Clare Hospital makes emergency contraception available to rape victims while following a nationwide set of guidelines for Catholic institutions, said Mary Pat Elsen, hospital spokeswoman. Doctors must check to make sure the woman was not pregnant before the attack, but then can provide the medication from the hospital pharmacy. "The hospital has always provided contraceptive service to sexual assault victims," she said. "We provide this in concert with the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Heath Care Services." St. Clare nurse Wendi Kohnert specializes in assisting rape victims, checking them for physical injury, collecting evidence for possible prosecution and providing emergency contraception. Rape victims are given two doses of medication, one they take at the hospital and one they take about 12 hours later at home. The morning-after pill is similar to a large dose of birth control pills and should be used within 72 hours of the assault, she said. "It's similar to inducing a menstrual period," she said. "You might get symptoms similar to that." While one of Kohnert's roles is to collect evidence when a victim wants to prosecute their attacker, they don't have to report the assault in order for us to offer them the medication, she said. Kohnert said she has seen cases where a woman has been raped but declined emergency contraception. Other hospitals or medical clinics offer the morning-after pill for people who had voluntary intercourse, then realized their contraception failed in some way. Kohnert said that is not St. Clare's role. Rape victims who come to Divine Savior Hospital in Portage would find a slightly difference procedure, said Jenny Sauer, hospital spokeswoman. Staff at Divine Savior make sure the woman is not already pregnant before providing emergency contraception, she said. Doctors can prescribe emergency contraception for a rape victim, but she would have to obtain it from a pharmacy outside the hospital. The requirement the hospital not dispense the morning-after pill directly to the rape victim was developed under the guidance of the hospital's sponsor, The Sisters of the Divine Savior, by the hospital ethics committee. They believed they were following the requirements of the Catholic Church, Sauer said. However, the ethics committee is re-examining the matter, she said. "That is something that may or may not change in the future," said Sauer. Providing emergency contraception to rape victims is standard procedure at Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital, said Alice Allen, chief nursing officer. "We do not feel the legislation that is being worked on at the state level will impact our policy," she said. Kathy Behnke, spokeswoman for Hess Memorial Hospital in Mauston, would not say specifically whether the hospital provides emergency contraception. Rather, she said the hospital tries to do what is best for the patient, and she said it's the doctor's job to care for all aspects of their patient. "The doctor is going to do what they think is in the best interest of the patient," Behnke said. "We take a comprehensive approach to (rape victims') health care that includes physical, emotional and social components of health care," she said. "We don't have a position on the pending legislation." If the emergency contraception bill becomes law, Hess Memorial Hospital will comply with it, she said. Hess Memorial Hospital is an independently owned and operated hospital, Behnke said. The News Republic contacted the Reedsburg Area Medical Center. However, the hospital executive was not available, hospital staff members said.
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