Tag: Crain’s Grand Rapids Business

Headline Roundup: Chemotherapy Drug Shortages & Hospital Workforce

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News, Top Issues - Healthcare
Laura Appel

The MHA received media coverage the week of May 15 regarding a shortage of two critical chemotherapy medications, hospital nurse staffing legislation and the well-being of hospital workers. A press release was published May 17 by the MHA regarding the shortage of cisplatin and carboplatin and the strategies hospitals and health systems are implementing to continue chemotherapy treatments for patients.

MHA representatives appearing in published stories include CEO Brian Peters and Executive Vice President Laura Appel. MONL President Kim Meeker, RN, BSN, MBA, also appears in a story on the nurse staffing legislation, while MHA Keystone Center WELL-B partner Bryan Sexton, PhD, from the Duke Center for Healthcare Safety and Quality, appears in a story about how hospitals assist healthcare workers with feelings of grief and loss.

Below is a collection of headlines from around the state.

Friday, May 19

Thursday, May 18

Wednesday, May 17

Tuesday, May 16

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

Headline Roundup: Nurse Staffing Legislation & Staffing Shortages

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News, Top Issues - Healthcare
Brian Peters

The MHA received media coverage the week of May 8 regarding nurse staffing legislation, healthcare worker shortages, the ending of the COVID-19 public health emergency and more. A joint media statement was published May 11 by the MHA and the Michigan Organization for Nursing Leadership (MONL) immediately following a press conference announcing legislation that would mandate nursing staffing ratios. The statement referenced the potential for the proposed bills to severely harm hospitals and access to important services for patients, if the bills become law.

MHA representatives appearing in published stories include CEO Brian Peters, Executive Vice President Laura Appel and Senior Vice President Sam Watson. MONL President Kim Meeker, RN, BSN, MBA, also appears in a collection of stories on the nurse staffing legislation. Below is a collection of headlines from around the state.

Friday, May 12

Thursday, May 11

Wednesday, May 10

Tuesday, May 9

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

Media Recap: Economic Impact of Healthcare and Nurse Staffing Ratios

Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News, Top Issues - Healthcare
MHA CEO Brian Peters speaks with WLNS.
MHA CEO Brian Peters speaks with WLNS.
MHA CEO Brian Peters speaks with WLNS.

The MHA received media coverage the week of May 1 on the economic impact of healthcare in Michigan and planned state legislation that would require nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in hospitals.

Crain’s Grand Rapids Business published an article May 4 on the 2023 release of the Economic Impact of Healthcare in Michigan report. The report demonstrates healthcare remains Michigan’s largest private-sector employer, providing nearly 568,000 direct jobs, including 219,000 in hospitals. The report shares fiscal year 2021 data, displaying the impact the pandemic had on healthcare and employment. A survey of Michigan hospitals in March 2023 showed more than 27,000 job openings in Michigan hospitals.

“Our hospitals are trying to fill those slots and many of those are nursing. So, that opportunity to bring more people into health care, it’s there today and it’s going to increase going forward,” said Peters. “We’re an economic engine that hires a lot of people and we need even more based on the environment that we’re experiencing right now.”

WLNS-TV also aired a story May 3 on planned legislation supported by the Michigan Nurses Association that would mandate nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. MHA CEO Brian Peters spoke with WLNS to explain how detrimental a mandated one-size-fits-all approach would be to Michigan hospitals, health systems and the availability of care for patients. Peters emphasized the need for hospitals to have local control to determine staffing models that best represent the needs of their patients and communities. He also provided solutions the MHA and member hospitals and health systems are implementing to address the nearly 8,500 opening nursing positions in Michigan hospitals and to retain existing nurses.

“Our chief nursing officers are really in the best position to make those decisions, a one-size fits all mandated approach, certainly does not give us that flexibility,” said Peters. “This would only add fuel to that fire and really threaten that viability of our hospitals throughout the state of Michigan.”

Becker’s Hospital Review published an article May 5 on each of these issues.

Crain’s Grand Rapids Business: Healthcare Jobs In-demand Across West Michigan

Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News, Top Issues - Healthcare
Brian Peters

Brian PetersCrain’s Grand Rapids Business published a story April 20 on the annual release of the West Michigan Works! list of “hot jobs,” with nearly half of the 100 high-demand careers being in health-related professions. MHA CEO Brian Peters is quoted in the story in relation to hospital workforce funding grants signed earlier this year.

The $75 million for the recruitment, retention and training of healthcare workers is part of Public Act 5 of 2023. The article also cited a March 2023 workforce survey of 95% of the MHA membership that indicated Michigan has more than 27,000 job openings in hospitals, including nearly 8,500 open nursing positions.

“Maintaining the sustainability of our healthcare workforce is a universal priority for all Michigan hospitals and health systems,” said Peters. The quote is originally from a MHA press release published March 8 following the signing of the supplemental appropriation bill.