Madison, Wis. – The Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee (IAC) met this week and unanimously adopted comprehensive guidance on the practice of IV hydration therapy.
Participating boards independently reviewed and approved the guidance.
Recently, Wisconsin has seen an increase in intravenous (IV) hydration therapy business. Specifically, the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) has experienced increasing questions from license holders and the public regarding practice in IV hydration businesses, which differ from traditional clinical healthcare settings.
“Laws and regulations regarding the operation of these businesses are not specific to any one profession,” said IAC Chair Doug Englebert, who also serves as Chair of the Wisconsin Controlled Substances Board. “They cover pharmacy, nursing, and physician practices. That’s why the IAC was formed, to help licensees understand how existing laws and regulations that govern individual practices apply in new, unconventional settings.”
The IAC guidance for IV businesses/clinics does not include any new laws or rules but clarify how existing laws and rules apply to this emerging practice.
The Committee’s guidance breaks down the practices occurring at IV therapy businesses into three stages: patient assessment, compounding of IV cocktails, and administration of the treatment. Specific guidance includes details on who can perform which functions and what safeguards should be in place. The guidance on IV hydration therapy will be posted on the IAC page of the DSPS website.
DSPS administers Wisconsin’s professional regulatory boards and formed the IAC just over a year ago in response to a rising number of concerns and practice questions related to new ways to deliver health care. As part of its work, the Committee researched how other states were regulating practices at these businesses and gathered public input to help shape the final guidance.
“As Wisconsin’s safety agency, we thought it was important to try and identify any gaps in regulation of these new businesses and offer guidance on how best to address them,” explained DSPS Secretary Dan Hereth. “I commend the members of the IAC for their work to provide clarity that will protect Wisconsinites. I also want to thank Deputy Secretary Jennifer Garrett for her leadership in launching the Interdisciplinary Advisory Council, and Policy Development Administrator Audra Cohen-Plata and Attorney Supervisor Renee Parton for their efforts to support the Committee’s work.”
The IAC is made up of members from the state’s Medical Examining Board, Board of Nursing, Pharmacy Examining Board, Physician Assistant Affiliated Board, Cosmetology Examining Board, and Controlled Substances Board. The Committee chose IV hydration therapy as its first focus and worked for roughly a year to develop the guidance it approved yesterday. At the Wednesday meeting, the IAC decided its next focus would be on the emergence of administration of ketamine.
About DSPS
DSPS issues more than 240 unique licenses, administers dozens of boards and councils that regulate professions, enforces state building codes, and maintains the Wisconsin Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which is a key tool in the multi-faceted public health campaign to stem excessive opioid prescribing. A fee-based agency, DSPS is self-sustaining and receives no general fund tax dollars for its day-to-day operations. With two offices and roughly 250 employees, DSPS collaborates with constituents and stakeholders across a wide range of industries to promote safety and advance the economy.
