The MHA released a new episode of the MiCare Champion Cast focused on Munson Healthcare’s innovative Ask-A-Nurse program. The free, 24/7 call center is staffed year-round by registered nurses and offers easy access to health-related information and triage services.
The episode features Bonnie Kruszka, DNP, FNP-C, ENP-BC, RN, Chief Operating Officer, Munson Physician Network, Chief Advanced Practice Provider, Munson Healthcare; and Allison Passinault, RN, BSN, Ambulatory Nursing Manager, Ask-A-Nurse and Centralized Nurse Triage.
As leaders of the program, Kruszka and Passinault share more about how Ask-A-Nurse came to be, how it works and how it has helped Munson and non-Munson patients make more informed healthcare decisions.
“Access to healthcare continues to rise to the top of our community needs assessment year after year,” said Kruszka, who served as a founder of the program and continues to oversee operations. “Sometimes that means physical access, but it can also relate to travel times, limited transportation or not having internet service.”
Since its inception, the nurse line has handled more than 178,000 calls with an average speed to answer of 36 seconds. The program was awarded a 2024 Ludwig Community Benefit Award, which is presented to MHA-member organizations integrally involved in collaborative programs to improve the health and well-being of area residents.
In addition to helping patients, it offers a unique, remote job opportunity in nursing.
“One of the many things I enjoy about working in rural healthcare is that we really do feel like one big community,” said Passinault. “It’s hard work, it can be exhausting at times, but the reward is great. It’s a worthwhile career – even in a virtual environment.”
The MHA announced the winners of its 2024 Ludwig Community Benefit Award during the association’s Annual Membership Meeting June 27. The honorees include programs supported by Corewell Health William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak; Insight Surgical Hospital, Warren; and Munson Healthcare, Traverse City. The award is named in memory of Patric E. Ludwig, a former MHA president who championed investing in the community’s overall health, and is presented to member organizations integrally involved in collaborative programs to improve the health and well-being of area residents. Each winner will receive $5,000 from the MHA Health Foundation to assist in its health improvement efforts.
Corewell Health William Beaumont Hospital receives the Ludwig Community Benefit Award.
Corewell Health William Beaumont Hospital, in collaboration with the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, established Street Medicine Oakland, a collaborative community outreach program that provides free medical care to patients experiencing homelessness in Oakland County. The program provides direct, free medical care to the estimated 1,200 individuals in the county experiencing homelessness. Street Medicine Oakland is comprised of a team of volunteer medical students, medical residents and attending physicians who go outside the traditional walls of a hospital weekly to meet patients where they are, including on the street or in a shelter.
The clinicians focus on building trust with these vulnerable populations and provides essential care for acute and chronic conditions that may have otherwise gone untreated, intervening before a patient requires a costly emergency department or hospital visit. The team also partners with other community organizations and resources to address social determinants of health so patients continue to have access to medical care, health insurance, housing, food and transportation.
For more information on Street Medicine Oakland, contact Brian Felice, MD, medical director – Street Medicine Oakland, Corewell Health.
Insight Surgical Hospital receives the Ludwig Community Benefit Award.
Insight Surgical Hospital partnered with the Sylvester Broom Empowerment Village to launch the Triple-A Affect program, designed to dismantle significant barriers to success for at-risk youth. This multifaceted program incorporates arts, academics and athletics to educate and empower children aged five to 17, focusing on behavioral health, general health and wellness. The program engages more than 200 students daily and reaches more than 10,000 families annually, with activities aimed at enhancing food security, promoting health and wellness and empowering youth. It includes community, social and restorative programs that are pivotal in fostering a supportive environment.
Volunteers from Insight dedicate their time in various capacities, including providing mentorship, participating in social work groups, hosting educational seminars and engaging in healthcare support programming. These activities emphasize general wellness, healthy living, nutrition and identification of local resources, potentially leading to referrals for further evaluation and treatment at the Insight.
In addition to programmatic contributions, the hospital also extends administrative and financial support to enhance the health and well-being of community members. The program’s interventions, such as tutoring services, vocational training and initiatives aimed at improving living conditions, tackle the social determinants of health that are prevalent in Flint. These include economic instability, inadequate housing and limited access to educational resources. The initiative also prioritizes preventive health education, promoting healthy lifestyles, mental health awareness and addressing substance abuse issues.
For more information on the Sylvester Broom Empowerment Village, contact Nadir Ijaz, chief operating officer, Insight Health System.
Munson Healthcare receives the Ludwig Community Benefit Award.
Munson Healthcare operates the Ask-A-Nurse program, a free 24/7, year-round phone line staffed by registered nurses which offers free and easy access to health-related information and triage services. It has handled more than 178,000 calls since its inception, with an average speed to answer of 36 seconds. It has been very successful at connecting community members with the appropriate care including preventing avoidable emergency department visits for some 53% of callers who intended to go to the ED. Overall, the program has influenced 38% of callers’ intended actions. 1,200 patients have been connected with a healthcare provider through the program in the last year.
The Ask-A-Nurse program originally began as a COVID-19 hotline to support some of the state’s most rural areas across Munson’s 24 county coverage area, serving as a point of healthcare access for 38,000 callers from nearly every zip code in Michigan during the first year. Munson transitioned the hotline to a more generalized service to address healthcare literacy by making information accessible, understandable and useful for callers so they could make informed decisions about their healthcare.
Team members are experts in local resources and connect patients to services including mental health organizations, area agencies on aging, addiction treatment service, regional response centers for cases of child abuse and violence, local Sheriff’s departments for wellness checks and 3-way calling when crisis or emergency medical services are needed. The program also partners with local tourism businesses, such as hotels and visitor centers, to promote the free service to visitors and seasonal residents who may need healthcare access. Call summaries are also generated and provided to the caller’s primary care provider to ensure completeness of the caller’s medical record and continuity of care.
For more information about the Munson Healthcare Ask-A-Nurse program, contact Allison Passinault, manager, Ask-A-Nurse, Munson Healthcare.
