Category: MHA Rounds

Caring For Those Who Provide Care

Member News, MHA Rounds

By: Allyson Berthiaume, senior healthcare data analyst, MHA Keystone Center

November is National Family Caregiver Month, which recognizes the 63+ million individuals across the United States who support loved ones with health needs every day. I am one of the 63 million and provide care for both of my parents.

When people visualize a caregiver’s responsibilities, they often picture physical caregiving, but this is just one aspect of our complex role. We also shoulder emotional, financial and logistical responsibilities that often go unseen. As our population continues to age, and the number of caregivers continues to increase along with it, it’s more important than ever that we address the challenges that are leading to caregiver burnout and declining caregiver health.

I came into my caregiving role gradually about four or five years ago, when I began taking both of my parents to their healthcare appointments, and I noticed a minor decline in their comprehension and health literacy. At first, I was simply joining their appointments to ensure they understood their healthcare plans. However, as time has passed, my responsibilities have drastically changed.

When my dad was hospitalized with severe pneumonia two years ago, there were times when we didn’t know if he would make it out of the hospital. In those frightening moments, I realized I had no authority to do anything for him as an informal caregiver. After this experience, I reached out to an attorney to have Durable Power of Attorney paperwork created for both of my parents.

With these legal permissions, I was able to fully assess their living conditions and quickly realized they needed much more support. While I was on top of their healthcare needs, I was unaware how many other aspects of their day-to-day lives were being neglected. Over the past two years, I have added managing medications, finances and household tasks to my role. And earlier this year, when my mom was diagnosed with dementia and breast cancer two months apart, my role’s complexity increased again.

Learning to navigate a parent/child relationship with someone with dementia is more complex than I could ever have imagined. I am a work in progress, trying to learn a new way to communicate and care for my mom. This causes a lot of “dis – ease”, because of the frustration, confusion and fear from both of us. I often see this role referred to as rewarding, but it’s hard for me to view it in that light. I’ve lost the child/parent dynamic with both of my parents, and that has been incredibly painful to accept.

Although there are many resources available to help, the system has several flaws that create an additional burden for caregivers. As a healthcare professional, I believe it is our responsibility to reduce the administrative burden on caregivers, allowing them the opportunity to focus on their true caregiving responsibilities rather than chasing down information.

I am fortunate to live in a community where we have a single electronic health record system that allows my parents’ providers to view their full medical history in one place. However, this isn’t the case for all caregivers, and it has not alleviated the care coordination burden. I have attempted to work with a case worker to manage communication between providers, but even the case worker experienced inconsistent communication.

Home care is another service that could drastically reduce burden, but my family is one of many that makes too much to qualify for financial assistance, yet not enough to afford the cost out of pocket.

These are complex problems that will require systemic change and cross-sector collaboration. I am encouraged to see many health systems implementing caregiver navigation programs, and I am confident that with continued dialogue, we can improve the experience of caregivers for the better.

To learn more about National Caregiver Month and how to support caregivers, visit Caregiver Action Network.

Celebrating the Power — and Promise — of Rural Healthcare

Member News, MHA Rounds

By Ross Ramsey, MD, president & CEO, Scheurer Health and MHA Small and Rural Hospital Council Chair

As a healthcare leader, physician and someone born and raised in the Thumb of Michigan, National Rural Health Day is very personal to me, my colleagues and the communities we serve every day at Scheurer Health.

When I think about what defines the “power of rural,” the first thing that comes to mind is our deep roots in the community. As it’s been said before, working in a rural hospital means that you’re likely to cross paths with a neighbor, friend or loved one – whether it’s in patient rooms or passing in the halls. That alone fosters a remarkable sense of trust and compassion that inspires me every day.

Beyond the unique connection between patients, providers and staff, the power of rural also lies in our resilience. We’re weathering financial pressures, policy changes and workforce demands that are exacerbated across rural settings. Yet, time and time again, we find innovative ways to deliver exceptional care.

At Scheurer, we strive to improve the health of our communities through the vision: “Better Health. Better Life.” Part of making this vision a reality is providing community members with the right information and resources to live healthier – because when that happens, we all benefit. We also find value in recognizing that a health system is strongest when it evolves alongside its community.

So, how are hospitals like ours evolving to meet patients where they are?

The first step is listening. Our annual Community Health Needs Assessment informs how we deliver care, where to allocate resources and how to best support our community within our four walls and beyond. Some of the key findings from our 2025 assessment include:

  • Mental health is a top concern across rural communities, exacerbated by service desserts, stigma, transportation barriers and medication costs. Moreover, the shortage of mental health providers may contribute to a workforce that has a lower level of certification and is susceptible to burnout. Substance use, which is often a co-morbidity with mental health, was the fourth highest concern among those we surveyed.
  • Recent trends show that suicide mortality remains a pressing concern across our region, with some counties experiencing rates above the state average. While a few areas are seeing slight improvements, others are facing upward trends that highlight the growing need for mental health support. These patterns drive home the importance of early intervention, access to care and reducing the stigma around seeking help.
  • Chronic diseases were among the top health issues in the community and has a major impact on the well-being of residents in Huron County. Of the 690 survey respondents, 30% indicated chronic disease was a major concern and 37% indicated it was a concern. Obesity was selected as a high priority issue, with connections to chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

While this is only a snapshot of the data, it tells an important story that reflects what many rural communities are experiencing across the state and country. We also know that rural hospitals often face challenges associated with an aging population and keeping vital maternal and infant service lines open.

In recognizing these challenges comes the next step: action. Rural hospitals are focused on solutions that enhance access to care, strengthen the workforce and improve outcomes for all. This is often possible through innovative partnerships and community-based programming, as demonstrated at Scheurer through efforts like our school-based clinics and mental health workshops.

Another way we advocate for rural communities is by continuing to call on our state and federal leaders for support. I’d be remiss not to mention the Rural Health Transformation Program, an important federal funding opportunity that has the potential to serve as a lifeline for rural hospitals to continue addressing essential workforce gaps, technology needs and more.

Being a champion of rural hospitals and healthcare is about being a part of something bigger than yourself – and for that, I’m incredibly proud to celebrate those who stand beside me on National Rural Health Day. Regardless of what lies ahead, you can count on Michigan’s rural hospitals to remain focused on people, service and quality. That’s a promise we’ll always keep.

MHA CEO Report — Streamlining Medicaid Work Requirements

Member News, MHA Rounds
MHA Rounds image of Brian Peters

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller

MHA Rounds image of Brian PetersAs states work toward establishing Medicaid work requirements that are a core element of H.R. 1, it’s more important than ever that we reduce the administrative burden associated with verification for beneficiaries. Medicaid work requirements aim to advance accountability, but if not implemented correctly, they can increase costs for everyone and remove safety nets for those who need it most.

When reporting systems are confusing or overly complex, individuals that satisfy the requirements can still lose coverage simply because they can’t navigate the paperwork. When qualified individuals go without coverage, they tend to delay seeking care until a problem has worsened unnecessarily; at the same time, hospitals end up managing more uncompensated care. And when more people go uninsured, healthcare costs rise, affecting affordability for everyone.

The solution lies in intentional implementation. Michigan can successfully streamline the verification process by automating data sharing across agencies, offering multiple reporting options and communicating requirements clearly. In short, we need to follow the lead of some of the most successful and innovative companies in the private sector, such as Amazon and Uber, and make this process as user-friendly as possible.

By focusing on efficiency and simplicity, Michigan can protect taxpayer dollars, support employment and keep healthcare more affordable with an effective Medicaid work requirement program. The MHA is committed to working closely with all parties toward this goal.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

Strengthening Health Literacy Through Better Communication

Member News, Patient Safety and Quality, MHA Rounds

Byline: Gary L. Roth, DO, Chief Medical Officer, MHA

In healthcare, words can be as powerful as medicine. A patient’s ability to understand their diagnosis, treatment options or discharge instructions can directly influence their recovery and long-term health. Yet too often, communication between clinical experts and patients is clouded by medical jargon, complex explanations or information overload. Improving how we talk about health both within hospitals, in the clinic, and across our communities is a matter of safety, trust and access to care.

As October draws to a close, Health Literacy Month serves as a vital reminder that clear communication is a cornerstone of safe, high-quality care throughout Michigan’s healthcare community.

Understanding the Health Literacy Gap

Health literacy refers to a person’s ability to find, understand and use health information to make informed decisions. According to national data, nearly nine in 10 adults struggle to fully comprehend medical information shared by providers, prescription labels or public health materials. This gap leads to serious consequences: missed appointments, medication errors, preventable hospitalizations and poorer overall health outcomes.

Clinicians and health organizations tend to use technical language, while patients experience healthcare through a lens shaped by anxiety, uncertainty and varying levels of understanding. When information isn’t communicated clearly, patients and their family may nod in agreement without truly understanding, leaving them at risk once they leave the clinic or hospital.

Making Health Information Easier to Understand

Effective external communication from providers bridges the gap between the clinical world and the public. It translates complex health information into language that is clear, accurate and compassionate. As digital tools and online platforms become more common in care delivery, hospitals and healthcare systems are also rethinking how to present health information in accessible, user-friendly formats that meet patients where they are. Whether through hospital websites, community health campaigns, or discharge instructions and summaries, the goal should always be the same: ensure patients and families can understand what they need to do and why it matters.

Plain language, visuals and real-world examples can make health information easier to understand. Testing materials with actual patients before publication can also reveal confusing wording or gaps. Improving health literacy should not just be the patient’s job. Health systems, clinicians, communicators and policymakers all have a role to play in making information accessible. Statewide initiatives, including resources from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan State Medical Society, are helping healthcare professionals strengthen health literacy skills and better support patients and families across care settings. Investing in education for health professionals on plain language communication and effective patient engagement will make a difference.

Strengthening Community Health Through Understanding

When patients understand their care, they are more likely to follow treatment plans, ask informed questions and take ownership of their health. When families are also engaged, they can more effectively support the patient. Effective communication builds trust, and trust builds healthier communities.

Across Michigan, hospitals are taking proactive steps to advance health literacy by simplifying patient materials, redesigning discharge instructions and training staff in clear communication techniques. These efforts reflect MHA members’ shared commitment to building understanding as the foundation of safe, high-quality care.

In healthcare, clear communication isn’t just good practice. It’s good medicine.

Investing in Rural Hospitals Means Investing in Rural Michigan

Member News, MHA Rounds, Rural Health Updates

By Jeremiah Hodshire, President & CEO of Hillsdale Hospital

When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law in July, it created the Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year, $50 billion investment in rural healthcare. The MHA Board of Trustees took swift action empowering an MHA board-appointed task force charged with creating recommendations that the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) could use when submitting the one-time application for funding.

I’ve had the pleasure of chairing the task force and working alongside my colleagues Tonya Darner, UP Health System; Karen Cheeseman, Mackinac Straits Health System; Dr. Ross Ramsey, Schuerer Health; Michael Rose, MyMichigan Health; and Peter Marinoff, Munson Healthcare. This process has been collaborative and informed by other rural hospital leaders across the state through the Rural CEO Town Hall the MHA hosted in late September. I am also deeply indebted to the MHA staff, specifically the driving force behind keeping our committee on task, Lauren LaPine-Ray, who has served as an outstanding ambassador, facilitator, researcher and connector as we navigate the federal guidelines! A few key themes emerged through this process and informed the recommendations shared with MDHHS.

When I look out across our community, I see the same faces that fill our hospital’s halls — farmers, teachers, small business owners and families who trust us to care for them when it matters most. Yet every year, it becomes harder to keep our doors open. Recruiting and retaining obstetricians, gynecologists, social workers, psychologists and primary care physicians has turned into an uphill push. Technology that could connect us to specialists hundreds of miles away remains out of reach due to inadequate broadband and out-of-date electronic medical records platforms. And the gap between what it costs to provide care and what we’re paid to deliver it keeps widening. That’s why the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Rural Health Transformation Program matters so much right now. This new federal funding opportunity isn’t just a policy line item — it’s a lifeline. But for Michigan’s small and rural hospitals, it will only make a difference if the dollars actually reach us, the people on the ground.

Our Greatest Need: People

Every rural hospital leader will tell you the same story: we can’t hire fast enough to replace those who’ve left. Nearly 70% of Michigan hospitals report difficulty filling clinical vacancies and rural areas face the longest recruitment times in the state. Nursing wages in large systems have soared, while young physicians are drawn to urban centers where they can earn more and work less on call. Meanwhile, small hospitals like ours are paying bonuses we can’t afford just to keep labor and delivery open or to cover an emergency room shift. The costs to maintain OB/GYNs in rural areas are significant.

If the Rural Health Transformation funds are truly meant to “right-size” care delivery, they must start with stabilizing the workforce that keeps that system running. Rural hospitals should be able to use these funds for loan repayment programs, housing stipends and retention bonuses that reflect the realities of rural practice. Without people, no transformation is possible.

Technology Should Connect, not Divide

Michigan’s rural hospitals have led the way in adopting telehealth, but we are still too often left behind. Broadband is patchy and many of our systems don’t integrate with the larger hospitals where we refer patients. CMS should allow states to dedicate transformation dollars toward technology innovation — helping rural providers invest in electronic health record interoperability, remote patient monitoring and telepsychiatry tools that expand access without expanding costs. When technology works across the system, it saves time, reduces burnout and lets us keep more care local.

Payment Equity Must be Part of Transformation

Even before inflation and staffing shortages, the math didn’t add up. Rural hospitals serve older, sicker populations and depend heavily on Medicare and Medicaid. The number of births occurring in rural hospitals continues to decline, making the ability to cover costs and provide critical care even more challenging. When reimbursement rates don’t cover the cost of care, rural hospitals can’t sustain basic services like obstetrics or behavioral health. Between 2010 and 2023, 11 rural hospitals in Michigan closed or stopped providing inpatient services. Rural Transformation funds should explicitly support provider payments and shared-savings models to ensure critical healthcare access in rural areas is maintained. If rural hospitals can’t afford to pay their doctors and nurses, innovation will stall before it starts.

The Stakes for Michigan

More than 60% of Michigan’s counties are considered rural, with nearly 30 hospitals serving as the only point of care for miles. Every time one closes, an entire region loses not just its emergency room, but also its largest employer and a key part of its safety net. The Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency recently reported nearly 22% of Michigan counties are considered maternity deserts. Michigan needs true investments in rural healthcare to reverse these trends — but only if the funds flow to where they can have the greatest impact: rural hospitals themselves.

These dollars should not get lost in bureaucracy or redirected to administrative projects. They should go toward the people and places that make healthcare possible: our workforce, our technology and our providers.

If we want to build a stronger, more equitable Michigan, we must start by keeping care local, and that begins with investing in the hospitals that keep our communities alive.

MHA CEO Report — Launching Collaboratives to Improve Community Health

Member News, MHA Rounds
MHA Rounds graphic of Brian Peters

MHA Rounds image of Brian Peters“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success.” — Henry Ford

In the healthcare community, we know that a person’s health is shaped outside the four walls of a hospital and our support must expand beyond acute care. The MHA recently launched community benefit collaboratives with this in mind and to improve outcomes in three critical areas: maternal health, behavioral health and chronic disease.

More than 50 of our member hospitals across Michigan are participating, with a focus on enhancing group prenatal care, improving perinatal mood disorder screening and support, preventing postpartum depression, and increasing food access and nutrition education.

The primary goal of the collaboratives is to create cross-sector and -system networks that advance the health and well-being of all Michiganders. These focus areas were carefully chosen after reviewing Community Health Needs Assessments and modeled after programs that are already making an impact in Michigan communities.

By scaling these proven efforts, we can help reduce barriers to care and improve health outcomes statewide.

Michigan hospitals serve rural, suburban and urban communities alike — and each system tailors care to the unique needs of its patients. The collaboratives were designed with flexibility in mind, offering components that can be adapted based on a hospital’s size, resources and populations served.

We’re excited to launch these collaboratives because they represent what our hospitals do best: caring for Michiganders — not just when they are in a hospital bed, but every day. By working in tandem with each other and with community partners, we can turn local success stories into a statewide movement for better health.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

MHA CEO Report — Patients Over Politics

Member News, MHA Rounds
MHA Rounds image of Brian Peters

MHA Rounds graphic of Brian Peters“Happy are those who dare courageously to defend what they love.”  — Ovid

Most people will find themselves in a hospital at one point or another, whether it’s to hold a loved one’s hand, welcome a child or receive needed – perhaps even life-saving – care.

I’m no exception. Like many others have done before and since, my wife and I looked to the team at Corewell Health Devos Children’s Hospital to keep our daughter safe and healthy while she was fighting for her life in their neonatal intensive care unit some 19 years ago (a story I recently shared on the MiCare Champion Cast). Needless to say, it’s in those moments that we realize just how personal – and non-partisan – healthcare truly is.

As an association, it’s our job to protect Michigan hospitals and safeguard healthcare services for patients and communities. That’s why in recent months we’ve spoken out against attacks to Medicaid – and why now – we’re ringing the alarm on the devastating impact proposed House budget cuts would have if signed into law.

Political posturing aside, here are the facts: Michigan hospitals stand to lose more than $2.5 billion under House Bill 4706, which would directly impact patient access to care in hospital beds, labor and delivery units, emergency departments, cancer treatment and many other vital service lines across the state. As we stated repeatedly during the debate on “One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA),” when service lines and hospitals close, access is not only lost for Medicaid recipients – it is lost for everyone.  In addition, this funding keeps our incredibly dedicated healthcare workers employed. The House-proposed budget puts more than 20,000 Michigan hospital jobs at risk and could result in a $4.9 billion loss to the state’s economy.

While some politicians point fingers, Michigan hospitals are focused on patients. It’s time to put egos aside and act as a united front when it comes to protecting access to care, helping our communities thrive and showing up for those who care for us all in times of joy, uncertainty and crisis.

We cannot let partisanship put lives at risk. On behalf of our MHA family, I ask you to show courage in speaking truth to power. I ask you to join me in urging lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to protect essential hospital funding by visiting our MHA Legislative Action Center.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

MHA CEO Report — Hospitals Are Focused on Saving Both Lives and Costs

Member News, MHA Rounds
MHA Rounds graphic of Brian Peters

MHA Rounds graphic of Brian Peters“Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems.” — Gever Tulley

Hospitals exist to save lives and improve health. Every day, across every ZIP code in Michigan, our community hospitals are the place where babies are born, cancer is fought, lives are saved and families turn in their most vulnerable moments for hope, help and healing.

Nearly every Michigander has a story about a provider, nurse or physician whose care brought them peace and support during one of their most difficult moments. Which is why it’s so disheartening to see recent headlines that cast hospitals as profiteers rather than what they truly are — the lifeblood of our communities, doing everything possible to ensure access to high-quality, compassionate care.

Healthcare providers use every option to make sure patients receive the care they need in the right setting, regardless of their ability to pay. While public dialogue about healthcare affordability is vital, we cannot disregard the complexity of drug pricing, payment models and hospital care itself in these conversations.

One of the most common misconceptions about healthcare costs is that hospitals are profiting by inflating prescription drug prices, but hospitals do not manufacture drugs nor set their list prices. They purchase and administer these drugs, often under the most difficult circumstances in intensive care units, cancer infusion centers or operating rooms. A vial of medicine isn’t just handed over: it’s carefully stored, handled, prepared and delivered by an entire team of trained professionals with the expertise to ensure the right drug gets to the right patient at the right time.

That process involves significant investment in safety, staffing, technology and compliance — not to mention the rising labor and supply costs all hospitals across the nation are facing. In fact, labor costs are up 45% since 2014, compared to a 28% increase in inflation. These expenses are especially heavy for hospitals in rural or underserved areas, where resources are stretched thin but commitment to care cannot and will not waver.

It’s also important to note what hospitals charge is completely different from what a hospital is paid, and it’s certainly not what most patients pay. Nearly all Michiganders have health insurance, and insurance plans negotiate rates with hospitals that are often far lower than the list price. In fact, hospitals are price takers, typically collecting only a fraction of the charges listed on publicly posted pricing files: files that are shared in the name of transparency, even if those figures are easily manipulated to be taken out of context.

Moreover, hospital care isn’t one-size-fits-all. Treatment decisions are based on a patient’s specific condition, care setting and coverage. Drug prices can vary based on location, the severity of a patient’s condition, who is covering the cost of care—whether it’s private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or the patient themselves—as well as dosage and method of administration. A medication delivered through an outpatient clinic may have vastly different requirements (and prices) than one used during an inpatient stay after surgery or trauma. Comparing these prices without explaining that nuance, as well as the frequency of use causes confusion, not clarity.

Despite these challenges, hospitals are actively working to make care more affordable. Michigan hospitals have embraced the use of biosimilars and generics, participate in discount programs and offer financial assistance for uninsured patients. Hospitals actively invest in community health, run outreach clinics and help patients access the medications and services they need to thrive. This is all despite the fact that Michigan is one of only four states in the country where hospitals had, on average, a negative margin, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Every hospital in Michigan is part of a larger effort to strengthen our healthcare system — not just for today’s patients, but for future generations. We are employers, safety nets, disaster responders and anchors of trust. If hospitals close due to financial challenges, where will patients in those communities turn when they need lifesaving care?

Of course, affordability matters. But solutions should be rooted in partnership. We welcome conversations about how to increase transparency, reduce costs and improve care.

Michigan hospitals are essential to the solution and will be the first at the table to offer collaboration, just as we are the first place Michiganders go when they need life-saving care.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

MHA CEO Report — A Year of Progress and Purpose

Member News, MHA Rounds
MHA Rounds image of Brian Peters

“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” — Margaret J. WheatleyMHA Rounds graphic of Brian Peters

With another program year behind us, the MHA Annual Meeting served as a powerful reminder of our shared mission to advance the health and well-being of Michigan’s patients and communities. Despite an evolving political landscape, we’ve made meaningful progress and are moving ahead with clear purpose.

As you can imagine, the 2024-2025 MHA program year was marked by busy periods of state legislative activity and various developments at the federal level. We can attribute a tremendous amount of our success to Dr. Julie Yaroch, president of ProMedica Charles and Virginia Hickman Hospital, who served as board chair. Dr. Yaroch’s leadership, clinical expertise and passion for public health had significant impact across countless areas of work.

It’ll come as no surprise that ensuring access to quality healthcare for all Michiganders continued – and continues – to be a priority. This program year, the MHA successfully prevented proposed government mandated nurse staffing ratio legislation from receiving a committee vote. Advocacy efforts also continued around 340B to maintain access to community-based care and prevent drug manufacturer overreach. This resulted in strong bipartisan support for legislation that passed the Michigan Senate and collaboration at the federal level with Senator Debbie Stabenow on the SUSTAIN 340B Act.

I’d be remiss not to mention our response to proposed federal cuts to Medicaid. The MHA, alongside urban and rural members, has prioritized congressional meetings, grassroots communications, coalition efforts and collaboration with state executive leadership to send a strong, clear message: Michigan needs Medicaid.

All that said, playing defense didn’t define our program year. In an effort to grow and develop our healthcare workforce, the MHA successfully hosted the inaugural Healthcare Careers Conversation and led changes to the Michigan Reconnect Program. This resulted in 4,300 students enrolling in short-term healthcare programs, a complement to our ongoing MI Hospital Careers campaign work. Additionally, we pursued state legislation to address provider credentialing delays, secured key amendments to the Earned Sick Time Act and had a hand in proposed changes to the state’s unemployment compensation benefits, among many other employer-related policies.

I’m also incredibly proud to share that we worked with state legislators to design, draft and introduce legislation that makes assaulting a healthcare worker a felony, while tying it to appropriate criminal justice system diversions. Our MHA Keystone Center collaborated to offer active shooter trainings and workplace violence gap analyses to our members while serving as a founding partner of Lawrence Technological University’s Healthcare Violence Reduction Center (HVAC).

We were fortunate to see several MHA priorities included within the FY 2024 state budget, notably a large sum put toward mental and behavioral health. The MHA team successfully secured $8.3 million to launch a competitive grant program for hospital-based peer recovery coach (PRC) programs while leading the charge on a series of impactful prevention and data-driven efforts. Understanding that gaps in behavioral health continue to effect urban and rural hospitals alike, these successes lay the groundwork for what’s ahead.

Emerging technologies and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) reinforced our commitment to addressing cybercrime and strengthening cybersecurity policy. With this in mind, the MHA worked directly with the Michigan Attorney General and state policy leaders to ensure hospitals are reflected as victims of cybersecurity events. Simultaneously, we engaged our MHA Service Corporation, MHA AI Task Force, CFO Council and industry experts to deploy a series of cybersecurity events and resources to members.

I’d like to applaud our teams for handling a handful of unforeseen challenges, including working over the course of many months to address critical supply chain needs following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene. We also saw impressive engagement across annual member events, from our MHA Human Resources Conference and MHA Keystone Safety & Quality Symposium to the Healthcare Leadership Academy and Excellence in Governance Fellowship.

These milestones are just a glimpse into what we accomplished together this program year. I’m deeply grateful to our MHA Board of Trustees, members, sponsors, business partners and dedicated MHA staff – your unity and unwavering dedication to this work continues to have a lasting impact.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

MHA CEO Report ― Addressing Food and Housing Insecurity

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare, MHA Rounds
MHA Rounds graphic of Brian Peters

MHA Rounds graphic of Brian Peters“It is our collective and individual responsibility to preserve and tend to the environment in which we all live.” ― Dalai Lama

I recently had the privilege of joining leaders from across the state to discuss the most pressing issues for Michiganders at the annual Detroit Regional Chamber Mackinac Policy Conference. Because our member hospitals and health systems are not only critical providers of care, but also major economic drivers, the MHA once again served as an event sponsor and had a major presence with elected officials, business leaders and the media throughout the week. As you would imagine, we focused our attention on the current Congressional debate over the future of Medicaid and advocated for our 340B legislation and other priorities.

But I was also struck by the airtime given at the conference to the ongoing housing crisis in Michigan, a critical component of health that requires collective action across sectors to address. Over the past year, this has been an issue that our hospital leaders almost always lift up during our site visits, whether in rural or urban settings.  The housing issue affects not only patients but hospital employees as well. Housing, along with food insecurity and transportation challenges, make up the core “social drivers of health” that represent one of the most vexing challenges that we confront as leaders.

More than 40% of households in Michigan struggle to cover basic needs like food, healthcare and housing. We also know there is an inextricable link between food and housing insecurity and health. Research has shown that only 20% of health can be attributed to medical care, while socioeconomic factors account for 40%. Individuals with limited access to adequate food are at increased risk for chronic diseases, behavioral health issues and healthcare underuse – which can lead to higher acute care utilization long-term.

Hospital staff are not immune to these challenges. The rising cost of housing often impacts entry-level and non-clinical personnel, including environmental service workers. We need more accessible options, especially in our state’s rural counties, in order to help hospitals recruit and retain staff to care for our communities.

With all this in mind, the MHA is proud to support U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens’ (D-Birmingham) Healthy Affordable Housing Act, which seeks to create affordable housing in locations with easy access to needed services like public transportation, grocery stores and childcare.

Additionally, we’re proud of the innovative efforts underway across our member hospitals to enhance housing security for residents and staff. For example, we have members vetting opportunities to purchase housing near their facilities to provide employees with affordable rent in an accessible location.

Our members are also engaging in collaborative efforts to meet residents where they are. Here are just a few examples:

  • Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital delivers free medical care to individuals experiencing homelessness in Oakland County through their Street Medicine Oakland.
  • ProMedica is prioritizing public health efforts, investing in ProMedica Farms and their Veggie Mobile to improve access to fresh, affordable produce and nutrition education for the communities it serves.
  • Trinity Health’s Food is Medicine program also improves nutrition security by distributing locally grown produce directly to patients at medical appointments and to the community via its farm share, farm stand and food pantry.
  • Henry Ford Health is investing in Detroit’s New Center neighborhood through its campus expansion project, which is a cornerstone of a community-driven plan that will also include a state-of-the-art medical research center alongside mixed-use residential developments offering market-rate and affordable housing, retail spaces, green areas and recreational facilities.

As anchor institutions in their communities, Michigan hospitals will continue prioritizing public health and community benefit efforts. However, we must recognize this is a systemic issue that requires change and investment across industries. The MHA and our members recognize it is our shared responsibility to work alongside partners in the public and private sector to improve the socioeconomic standing of our communities. We look forward to the continued collaboration following the robust conversations on the island.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.