Recent media headlines declare hospitals are in reasonably good shape financially due to pandemic funding, Medicare and insurer overpayments and price-gauging. While hospital leaders have data proving extreme financial pressures, the cumulative effect of this press is confusion and distrust of hospitals. The MHA Board Governance Education webinar series will provide examples of how to share facts and be an effective advocate on financial viability and other areas.
The April 19 webinar outlines the trends affecting current and future strategic plans, the May 9 webinar teaches trustees techniques for effectively communicating with stakeholders on key issues and the May 23 webinar discusses ways to build trust and engagement within the community. All webinars are from noon to 1 p.m. EST and members can register for one or all three webinars.
The series is generously sponsored by HPS, an associate member of the MHA and free of charge to MHA members.
Members with questions about registration should contact Erica Leyko at the MHA.
The MHA Excellence in Governance Fellowship is now available to healthcare board members looking for innovative, effective ways to lead their organizations as hospitals and health systems navigate financial strain and labor challenges. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2023-2024 Excellence in Governance Fellowship, which will be held from October 2023 through June 2024.
Launched 20 years ago, the fellowship is a rigorous and comprehensive program delivering tools and knowledge in four strategic areas: principles of effective governance, improving quality and patient safety, building collaborative medical staff partnerships and building strong relationships with the community and stakeholders. The sessions are led by experts in governance with a healthcare background.
With the busy schedules of board members in mind, fellows can expect to meet four times a year, either in-person at the MHA headquarters in Okemos or through virtual sessions.
Graduates of the fellowship have high praise for the fellowship, as demonstrated by a video of graduates’ testimonials.
Members looking to further explore this one-of-a-kind offering can contact Erin Steward at the MHA.
The MHA Excellence in Governance Fellowship is now available to healthcare board members looking for innovative, effective ways to lead their organizations as hospitals and health systems navigate financial strain and labor challenges. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2023-2024 Excellence in Governance Fellowship, which will be held from October 2023 through June 2024.
Launched 20 years ago, the fellowship is a rigorous and comprehensive program delivering tools and knowledge in four strategic areas: principles of effective governance, improving quality and patient safety, building collaborative medical staff partnerships and building strong relationships with the community and stakeholders. The sessions are led by experts in governance with a healthcare background.
With the busy schedules of board members in mind, fellows can expect to meet four times a year, either in-person at the MHA headquarters in Okemos or through virtual sessions. Graduates of the fellowship have high praise for the fellowship, as demonstrated by a video of graduates’ testimonials.
Members looking to further explore this one-of-a-kind offering can contact Erin Steward at the MHA.
The Legislature took their final votes for the 2021-2022 legislative session during the week of Dec. 5. Given the results of the election, very few bills passed during the legislative lame-duck session compared to a typical year. While the lack of a supplemental agreement prohibited additional funding for healthcare, the MHA was able to secure several victories on policy issues and noMHA-opposed legislation was passed before the end of the year.
House Bills (HBs) 6129 and 6130, legislation to expand the Michigan Reconnect program, was sent to the Governor’s desk for final approval. The Michigan Reconnect program is a postsecondary scholarship program designed to provide funding to learners over the age of 25 to return to the classroom to pursue credentials or postsecondary degrees at community colleges or eligible training programs. Introduced by Reps. Ben Frederick (R-Owosso) and Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), the package allows for several additional certifications to qualify for the scholarships including high-demand healthcare credentials. The MHA is supportive of the bills and will continue to advocate for future changes to lower the age for individuals to qualify for the program.
Legislation to allow Michigan to join the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) was also sent to the Governor’s desk. If signed into law, this will bring Michigan in line with 26 other states to create an expedited pathway to licensure for psychologists who wish to practice telepsychiatry across state lines. HBs 5488 and 5489 were introduced by Reps. Bronna Kahle (R-Adrian) and Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Township) and supported by the MHA to help increase access to behavioral health services in Michigan.
Another MHA-tracked bill, Senate Bill (SB) 450, was sent to the Governor. Introduced by Sen. Jim Stamas (R-Midland), SB 450 would ensure visitors of cognitively impaired patients are permitted in healthcare facilities. The bill would prohibit the directors of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services or a local health officer from issuing an order that prohibits a patient representative from visiting a cognitively impaired individual in a healthcare facility. As written, the legislation does not prevent a healthcare facility from implementing reasonable safety measures for visitors and will still allow for facilities to limit the number of representatives per patient. The MHA is neutral on the bill, based upon previous feedback received from our Legislative Policy Panel.
Members with questions on these bills or any other lame duck action may reach out to Adam Carlson at the MHA.
Michigan’s hospitals are facing a funding crisis, putting communities and families across the state at risk of losing access to high-quality, timely healthcare. Health systems, business and university leaders are urging policymakers to address the crisis to avoid further reduction of available beds and access to care and healthcare services.
Michigan has lost a high of 1,700 staffed hospital beds since 2020 due to lack of staffing. This creates a cascade of problems, from longer wait times in the emergency department, reduced services, particularly in rural areas, and more difficulty transferring patients to the appropriate care setting. Respiratory illnesses are also surging, making problems worse.
“Recently, we have seen a surge in cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), flu and COVID. This puts an additional pressure on emergency departments and our already-strained inpatient bed capacity across Michigan, impacting care statewide. Without funding to address staffing shortages, we run the risk of compromising our ability to provide the same level of exceptional care that we’re accustomed to across the state,” said T. Anthony Denton, senior vice president and chief operating officer, University of Michigan Health System and Michigan Health & Hospital Association board chair.
A 2021 Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that nearly 30% of healthcare workers are considering leaving their profession altogether. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for 1.1 million new registered nurses nationwide by 2030, the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates two out of every five active physicians nationwide will be 65 or older within the next 10 years, and the nation faces a projected shortage of more than 3.2 million lower-wage healthcare workers such as medical assistants, home health aides and nursing assistants, according to a Mercer report.
“The overall health and prosperity of Michigan is inextricably tied to the state’s investment in its healthcare and higher education enterprises,” saidDaniel Hurley, CEO of the Michigan Association of State Universities. “Michigan’s public universities, together with our hospital and other healthcare partners, look forward to working with state leaders to ensure a future healthcare workforce that is capable of providing the highest levels of quality care for all Michiganders.”
The healthcare workforce shortage — combined with an aging population, a rise in chronic diseases and behavioral health conditions and advancements in medical care delivery — all contribute to an immediate need for resources that will allow hospitals to continue to provide the care residents need and deserve.
Despite staffing losses attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare directly employed nearly 572,000 Michigan residents in 2020, continuing to make it the largest private-sector employer in the state. The 2022 Economic Impact of Healthcare in Michigan report found that direct healthcare workers in Michigan earned $44.2 billion in wages, salaries and benefits, with indirect, healthcare-supported workers earning about $28 billion wages, salaries and benefits.
“With healthcare being the largest private-sector employer, a healthy Michigan economy is directly linked to a properly funded healthcare system,” said Susan Smith, executive director, Economic Development Partnership of Hillsdale County. “Without access to healthcare services to support our communities, ranging from obstetrical units to trauma centers, we cannot remain economically competitive, attract or retain talent, or support placemaking for young families and care for everyone at all stages of life.”
Michigan officials have made recent short-term investments to address the hospital staffing crisis, but additional funding remains unappropriated that if used as intended, can improve hospital capacity and service lines. Michigan also needs a long-term funding solution to address stagnant reimbursement that has yet to respond to inflationary pressures to improve the retention of existing healthcare workers and recruit future workers to ensure that residents continue to have access to healthcare services.
Learn how you can help your local hospital or health system by visiting MiCareMatters.org.
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“Hospitals have an immediate need for resources to continue to provide the services residents need and deserve – like ambulances available for lifesaving care,” said JJ Hodshire, president and chief executive officer, Hillsdale Hospital. “As a rural hospital, we excel at being innovative to make the best use of our resources, particularly staff. However, we can only stretch resources for so long. Everyone can agree that access to lifesaving emergency medical care is a basic need for Michiganders and residents should be able to receive specialized care no matter where they live.”
“My colleagues in pediatric units across the state have spent the past month responding to one of the worst respiratory illness surges I can remember as a physician and the biggest challenge to our ability to care for more children was our lack of available staff,” said Dr. Rudolph P. Valentini, chief medical officer, Children’s Hospital of Michigan and group chief medical offer at Detroit Medical Center. “We can’t afford to have another surge of sick, hospitalized children before something is done to improve the health of our hospitals and health systems.”
“Michigan residents deserve quality, accessible healthcare services and without hospital resources to adequately provide that care, Michigan hospitals have and will continue to face difficult decisions about what services they can offer,” said Brian Peters, chief executive officer, Michigan Health & Hospital Association.”
Healthcare workforce shortages, particularly nursing shortages, are severely hindering the ability to provide patient-centered care. Unionizing to negotiate for policies like staffing ratios is popular but does not consider the complexity of significant workforce shortages. As healthcare leaders face an environment where clinicians are experiencing burnout, leaders must understand collaboration strategies that improve organizational stability and patient outcomes.
TheDispelling Misinformation About Unionization and Legal Guidelineswebinar will outline several topics related to the healthcare workforce and unionization. Topics will include how recent dynamics such as the COVID-19 crisis and worker shortages have increased the healthcare industry’s vulnerability to union organizing, current trends and tactics unions use to recruit healthcare employees, evolving rules from the National Relations Labor Board, including those applicable to social media, and other tips and guidelines for leaders responding to a union or other protected concerted activity.
The webinar is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET Nov. 11. Sponsored by the MHA Service Corporation Unemployment Compensation Program and Miller Johnson, it is offered free of charge. Human resource executives and professionals and chief nurse executives are encouraged to register.
Members with questions should contact Erin Steward at the MHA.
The upcoming general election will set the stage for critical healthcare decisions for Michigan and the nation in the years ahead. In November, Michigan voters will help elect the next governor, attorney general and secretary of state of Michigan, decide who will represent the state in all 13 Michigan seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, plus cast ballots for all 110 seats of the Michigan House of Representatives and 38 seats of the Michigan Senate, among other contests.
The MI Vote Matters campaign seeks to encourage voters to engage in the election and elect candidates who value healthcare and the needs of patients, urging hospital staff members, volunteers, patients, visitors and others to vote Nov. 8. As part of the MI Vote Matters campaign, the MHA has prepared the following informational resources for members.
MI Vote Matters informational posters geared toward patients, families, visitors and staff. Available in three sizes, each poster is laminated and can be affixed behind any plastic or plexiglass barrier.
A packet containing samples of these resources will be mailed the week of Sept. 12 to members of the MHA’s Hospital Affiliated Legislative Officers committee, as well as public relations executives at MHA-member organizations. During the course of the election season, complimentary copies of the materials will be available to MHA members by request through an online order form. Questions about materials may be directed to the MHA by emailing election@mha.org or calling (517) 703-8601.
In addition, the MHA MI Vote Matters 2022 election webpage has been activated and will be updated with the latest information about the election, including a list of the proposals on this year’s statewide ballot. Members are encouraged to use #MIVoteMatters to join the election 2022 conversation on social media.
MHA members are also encouraged to contactcandidates and notify the MHA if a particular candidate could be considered a healthcare champion by supporting healthcare and hospitals. Members with feedback or questions should contact Laura Appel at the MHA.
Peters speaks to Lansing Rotarians at weekly meeting.
MHA CEO Brian Peters presented as the keynote speaker at the Rotary Club of Lansing’s weekly meeting May 13, discussing the MHA’s work supporting hospitals and healthcare systems across the full care continuum.
During his presentation, Peters kept his focus on the current workforce shortages Michigan’s hospitals have been facing. “The healthcare workforce staffing shortages existed before COVID-19 but have worsened and are expected to continue beyond this pandemic. Our hospitals must remain ready for and responsive to patients affected by COVID-19 as well as other patients who need urgent and life-saving care outside of COVID-19,” said Peters.
Peters also discussed the election forecast for the year ahead and what implications the midterm election will have on the healthcare community. To learn more about these issues facing healthcare, visit the MHA’s Workforce Sustainability and Elections pages.
