Laura Appel, senior vice president, health policy & innovation, MHA, was quoted in stories the week of Feb. 14 discussing issues impacting the healthcare workforce.
Hospitals across the country are concerned about anticompetitive activity and questionable pricing from healthcare staffing agencies. Appel spoke with WILX News 10 and WXYZ Detroit on the issue, addressing topics that include a bipartisan letter sent on behalf of nearly 200 members of Congress asking the White House Coronavirus Response Team to investigate healthcare staffing agencies and claims that some agencies are taking 40% or more of the amount being charged to hospitals in profits. Appel also stressed that the concern is regarding profiteering by nursing agencies and not the wages provided to traveling workers.
“I also think that there is profit-taking and perhaps even inappropriate pricing happening from staffing agencies. We were part of an effort by the American Hospital Association to send a letter from our members of Congress to the White House Coronavirus Taskforce asking them to look into the practices of staffing agencies,” said Appel to WILX.
Appel also appears in a story from Bridge published Feb. 15 that looks at how industries in Michigan are preparing for the next possible COVID-19 wave. Appel stressed that the number one focus of hospitals is on healthcare workforce sustainability.
“We need to work on retaining the workforce we have and recruiting (more workers),” said Appel.