Pro-life physicians spoke out against a proposed abortion clinic that would be run by both the UW Hospital and Clinics and Meriter Hospital.
If approved, the clinic will be located in the Madison Surgery Center and perform mostly second trimester procedures.
According to Lisa Brunette, Director of Media Relations at the UW Hospital and Clinics, several physicians at the UW Hospital were concerned about the accessibility of the procedure and suggested the idea for the clinic.
If these services are not available in Madison, patients will need to go a long distance and at great expenses in order to obtain them,"" she said. ""These physicians feel that we are not upholding our responsibility to the community.""
Doctor William Evans, a heart surgeon at Meriter Hospital who opposes the proposal, voiced his concern by mobilizing other anti-abortion physicians and pro-life advocates to speak out through letters and e-mails. These petitions were presented at the state Capitol and were eventually sent back to Meriter.
""There is a core group of physicians who really felt that the Madison Surgery Center is a place for healing, care and the bettering of health, and should not engage in this barbaric procedure,"" he said.
Evans said he felt UW and Meriter tried to ""fly under the radar"" with the proposal, and was glad others have joined him to voice their concern.
""I think the worst thing that can happen is when people with a conscience sit by and do nothing,"" he said.
Brunette said the UW Hospital is acknowledging Evans' right to voice his opinion, and doesn't predict the petition to have a significant effect on the continuation of the proposal.
""We don't anticipate that it will cause future problems,"" she said. ""I think our viewpoint is that we will listen to people that are commenting on the proposal - positive and negative - and we take those things into account.
