Tag: I Vaccinate

MHA CEO Report — Vaccinations & Respiratory Illness Season

Issues in Healthcare, MHA Rounds

“An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

The last four years have generated tremendous awareness about vaccines, but also a large public health challenge as disinformation has exploded and anti-vaccine sentiment has emerged from the fringes to become widely embraced. This likely isn’t news to any of you, but the issue is once again top of mind because this time of year is respiratory illness season, whether it be the flu, RSV and now COVID. Thankfully, we have vaccines available to blunt the severe impacts of these illnesses, but it falls on both healthcare providers and public health professionals to appropriately communicate the benefits of vaccines to our patients and the public.

The recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are concerning, as they are warning providers about the low vaccination rates for each of these diseases. Flu vaccination rates are down across all age groups compared to last year, while COVID vaccine uptake is the same as last year at just 17% of adults; similarly, only 17% of adults 60 years of age and older have received an RSV vaccine.

Due to these low vaccine rates, the CDC reported Dec. 14 that over the past four weeks, hospitalizations across the country increased 200% for the flu, 51% for COVID and 60% for RSV. In Michigan, we need look no further than last year to see how a surge of RSV illness can dramatically challenge the statewide capacity of our children’s hospitals. We know more can be done and it isn’t too late for people to receive their vaccines that are proven to reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalization.

The MHA has a long history of support for vaccinations, as we continue to work with the Alliance for Immunizations in Michigan, the Parent Information Network, I Vaccinate and others to measure, educate and promote appropriate vaccinations for all Michigan residents. I Vaccinate specifically has been a terrific statewide public awareness campaign to connect with parents on the value of making sure you keep your children up to date on their vaccinations as they grow up. The bottom line is that the safety and efficacy of numerous vaccines has been supported and documented by not only the CDC, but the World Health Organization, and many other academic and clinical organizations.

We also know healthcare personnel play a key role in limiting the spread of illness during these months. For some time, we have collaborated with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to encourage vaccination policies for healthcare personnel against preventable diseases, such as the flu and pertussis.

Healthcare personnel are also important messengers when it comes to vaccines. We highly encourage all patients with questions about vaccines to contact their healthcare provider. These are important decisions and healthcare providers are uniquely qualified to provide accurate information about the benefits and any potential risks associated with any treatment. They also do so with care and respect for their patients. The MHA provides additional vaccine resources to healthcare leaders on our MHA vaccinations webpage.

Since the pandemic, the MHA has engaged in numerous ways on healthcare supply chain issues. On that note, another key challenge has been the available supply of Beyfortus, the monoclonal antibody for infants to prevent severe RSV illness. The MHA has been actively collaborating with stakeholders to navigate these supply concerns, as well as to provide reimbursement clarity. The good news is we have plenty of patients wishing to have their infants immunized, but due to manufacturing and distribution issues, there simply is not enough supply for all these young children. Thankfully the Biden administration recently announced 230,000 additional doses of RSV immunizations for infants will be available this month.

Realistically, we know we won’t change declining vaccination trends overnight, in a society that is as polarized as ever. Yet, I’m hopeful that over time we will be able to turn the tides, much as healthcare providers have for over a hundred years in using this valuable tool to eradicate harmful illnesses. It all starts with individual conversations from trusted messengers, but at the end of the day, we need to practice what we preach.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

MHA CEO Report — Pediatric Capacity Crisis

Member News, MHA Rounds

“Every child begins the world again.” ― Henry David Thoreau

In all of my life experiences to date, none have been so challenging in every sense as those times when my young children were hospitalized in the NICU, fighting for their very lives. We were incredibly fortunate to have positive outcomes with both of them, thanks to the efforts of our Michigan hospitals and the incredible people who work there every day.

I share this perspective because there is a crisis throughout Michigan that truly hits home with me. I know the angst and exhaustion being felt by far too many parents right now – emotions that are also being acutely felt by our heroic caregivers. In short, it feels like déjà vu in Michigan’s children’s hospitals, but instead of a surge of COVID-19 patients stressing capacity to the limits, our facilities are strained by a high number of pediatric patients suffering from respiratory illnesses largely driven by RSV. Similar tactics that have been implemented in prior years, such as initiating incident command systems, have been in operation to ensure appropriate direction and communication is occurring throughout those systems impacted by this crisis.

Hospitals operating at capacity is nothing new and the staffing challenges that continue to result in Michigan operating with 1,700 fewer staffed beds than we had prior to the pandemic are well documented. What we’re seeing today is the real impact of what those staffing challenges mean: longer wait times in the emergency department, lack of available beds for patient transports (particularly in rural Michigan) and pediatric ICUs operating at beyond 100% capacity.

There are few professionals in the world that have proven to be more resilient than healthcare workers, whether they are physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, environmental service workers…the list goes on and on (and I am proud to say that the MHA Keystone Center has played an important role with the launch of our WELL-B initiative that continues to provide resiliency tools for our clinicians and other team members). But as residents of our communities, we can no longer take our healthcare workers and the access to care they provide for granted. These workers, and their organizations, need help.

Thankfully, the Michigan Legislature provided funding earlier this year through Public Act 9 to improve the recruitment, retention and training of healthcare workers. So far, over 69,000 healthcare workers have benefitted from that funding and it has helped to stabilize existing staffing levels. Hospitals are also exploring innovative ways to grow the talent pipeline, such as investment in higher education partnerships and other apprenticeships. However, while impactful, this funding is a finger in the dyke. Without additional attention, the problem will persist.

Addressing the strain on our children’s hospitals is a multi-pronged approach, and in addition to the aforementioned work of our MHA Keystone Center, we are also deriving input and guidance from our MHA Council on Children’s Health, led by Laura Appel, executive vice president for government relations and public affairs, as well as our system chief medical officer (CMO) group, led by our own CMO Gary Roth, DO.

While the MHA will continue to pursue legislative and regulatory solutions to the staffing crisis, there are actions anyone can undertake to help our healthcare workers caring for very sick children across Michigan, particularly as COVID-19, RSV and the flu converge to drive hospitalizations.

First and foremost, ensure that both you and your children are up to date on all the relevant vaccinations that are now readily available. The MHA is a long-time supporter of I Vaccinate which is a good source of information on vaccines, and our MHA Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications Ruthanne Sudderth continues to be our point person with this organization. Second, practice proper hygiene, including handwashing and staying home when sick. Third, seek the appropriate setting for care; visit the hospital for emergencies but contact your primary care physician or an urgent care facility for testing or care for mild symptoms. Lastly – and very importantly – be sure to express some grace and appreciation for any healthcare worker you meet. As we approach the winter and holiday season, they are here to provide exceptional care to all who need it and deserve to be treated with respect both on and off duty.

If you have not done so already, please join me in sharing this messaging within your networks. Our hospitals need the support from our partners in healthcare, the business community and in Lansing and Washington, DC to weather this storm. Respiratory illnesses will always be here, but there are many small actions we can take to care for the health and wellness of our communities well into the future.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.