Wisconsin has taken a decisive step to protect patient rights with the passage of the Patient Privacy Protection Act. The new law requires hospitals with medical students to obtain explicit, written consent before performing pelvic exams under anesthesia. Until now, this procedure was often carried out on unconscious patients who had no idea such an exam was taking place.

The change comes after Sarah Wright, a patient, shared her deeply personal story of discovering she had undergone an exam without her knowledge. Her testimony struck a chord, prompting bipartisan action in the state legislature. Governor Tony Evers signed the law, affirming that consent is not optional but essential.

Wisconsin now joins 28 other states that have enacted similar protections. Supporters of the law stress that medical students will continue to receive training, but in ways that uphold patients’ dignity and autonomy. Advocates argue this reform is more than a policy update—it is a cultural shift in medical education, one that acknowledges the importance of trust between patients and providers.

The law sends a clear message nationwide: safeguarding patient rights must remain at the center of medical practice and education.

Photo: Martin von Haller Groenbaek via flickr