MHA Monday Report Feb. 6, 2023

MHA Monday Report

MHA Testifies During First House Health Policy Committee Hearing

The first hearing of the new legislative session for the House Health Policy Committee was held Feb. 2. Led by Chair Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), new committee members heard testimony from advocacy organizations about the state of public health in Michigan. …


Implicit Bias Trainings Available to Meet LARA Requirement

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs revised Public Health Code โ€“ General Rules to allow asynchronous teleconferences or webinars as acceptable modality of training as part of the implicit bias training standards for all professions licensed or registered under โ€ฆ


MHA Ludwig Community Benefit Award Accepting Nominations

Hospitals taking part in local efforts to enrich the overall welfare of their communities are encouraged to nominate those programs for the 2023 MHA Ludwig Community Benefit Award. First presented in 1990, the annual award honors MHA-member healthcare โ€ฆ


MHA Annual Meeting Sponsorship Opportunities Available

Just as hospitals and health systems have changed their strategies to adapt to the new environment, MHA education programming and sponsorships have changed to deliver more value. The MHA team are designing in-person events tied to the priorities of the โ€ฆ


MHA Rounds Report - Brian Peters, MHA CEOMHA CEO Report โ€” Medical Liability and Denney Damages

In last monthโ€™s CEO Report, we focused on the new political environment in Lansing, with a host of first-time lawmakers taking office, Democrats assuming majority control of both chambers of the legislature and a host of …


The Keckley Report

Paul KeckleyThe Big Tech Advantage in U.S. Healthcare

โ€œThis week, 100 of the Fortune 500 will report earnings for 2022 and heightened attention will be on four tech giants–Apple Inc., (AAPL); Amazon (AMZN) Meta Platforms Inc.(META) and Alphabet Inc.(GOOG). Comparatively, reports this week by Pfizer, Merck and Eli Lilly will get industry attention but news about these technology-giants will extend to a much wider audience. Why? โ€ฆ

2023 will be pivotal to U.S. healthcareโ€™s future: itโ€™s the transition year from pandemic adaptation buoyed by emergency-relief funds and opportunistic private equity plays in capital-starved sectors to a normalcy thatโ€™s unprecedented. โ€ฆ โ€œ

Paul Keckley, Jan. 30, 2023


Brian PetersMHA in The News

The MHA received media coverage the week of Jan. 30 regarding the 340B drug pricing program and the lack of child psychiatrists in northern Michigan. Crainโ€™s Detroit Business published an op-ed Feb. 1 from MHA CEO Brian Peters on โ€ฆ

MHA Ludwig Community Benefit Award Accepting Nominations

Hospitals taking part in local efforts to enrich the overall welfare of their communities are encouraged to nominate those programs for the 2023 MHA Ludwig Community Benefit Award.

First presented in 1990, the annual award honors MHA-member healthcare organizations that demonstrate community benefit by improving the health and well-being of their communities through collaborative health, economic or social initiatives.

Nominations for the 2023 Ludwig Community Benefit Award are due by Feb. 17. The MHA Health Foundationโ€™s Community Health Improvement Fund will provide a $5,000 cash award to the winning program to assist its efforts to further benefit its community.

Members with questions should contact Erica Leyko at the MHA.

MHA Monday Report Jan. 23, 2023

MHA Monday Report

LARA Updates Implicit Bias Training Rules

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs recently released the final draft of the Public Health Code โ€“ General Rulesย to allowย asynchronous teleconference or webinars as acceptable modality of training as part of the implicit bias training standards. ..


MHA Offering Occupational Mix Survey Webinar

The MHA is hosting an educational webinar 10 a.m. Jan. 31 to assist hospitals in completing the 2022 occupational mix survey. The webinar is available free of charge but registration is required. The survey must be submitted to the Medicare โ€ฆ


Nominations Open for 2023 MHA Ludwig Community Benefit Award

The valuable role of Michigan hospitals and healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic is unmistakable. Brave personnel throughout these facilities have worked for three years to care for the staggering number of patients through their doors. Even during these difficult โ€ฆ


Registration Open for the 2023 Healthcare Leadership Academy

The MHA is offering its popular Healthcare Leadership Academy program on March 13-15 and May 15-16. With 10 years of history helping medical professionals lead more effectively, the program focuses on developing a new generation of healthcare leaders. …


Latest AHA Trustee Insights Focuses on 2023 Priorities and Population Health

As more evidence points to the impact of social determinants of health and the lack of progress on achieving notable healthcare quality aims, hospital boards need to continue to reframe what governance leadership and excellence should look like. The January โ€ฆ


The Keckley Report

Paul KeckleyHCA Mission Hospital: A Predictable Shot by SEIU or Something Bigger?

โ€œLast Thursday, NBC News reported that HCA Healthcare, the nationโ€™s second biggest hospital operator, was guilty of nurse under-staffing at Asheville NC Mission Hospital endangering patient care. The 182- hospital chain countered its hospitals operated safely as evidenced by earning A/B from Leapfrog in 80% of its hospitals. โ€ฆ

In one respect, Mission is a case study applicable to every hospital in the U.S. health system. Pressure to reduce operating costs and increase revenue is a constant. โ€ฆโ€

Paul Keckley, Jan. 16, 2023


News to Know

Hospital leadership and key decision-makers will gather June 28-30 for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting on Mackinac Island. …

Nominations Open for 2023 MHA Ludwig Community Benefit Award

The valuable role of Michigan hospitals and healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic is unmistakable. Brave personnel throughout these facilities have worked for three years to care for the staggering number of patients through their doors.

Even during these difficult times, hospitals and health systems continue to provide services that go beyond the care provided within their walls. To celebrate the best of the community benefit programs hospitals provide, the MHA is accepting nominations for its 2023 Ludwig Community Benefit Award until 5 p.m. Feb. 17.

The award is named after Patric E. Ludwig, former MHA president and Bronson Healthcare Group president, and honors Michigan hospitals that demonstrate outstanding community benefit by improving the health and well-being of their communities through collaborative health, economic or social initiatives.

To assist the winning programs in their efforts to improve the health of their communities, the MHA Health Foundationโ€™s Community Health Improvement Fund presents a $5,000 cash prize in conjunction with the award. The fund was established in 2004 to support innovative community-based health improvement programs led by Michigan hospitals.

Members seeking more information may contact Erica Leyko at the MHA.

Ludwig Community Benefit Award Honors Hospital Programs

The MHA announced the winners of its 2022 Ludwig Community Benefit Award during the associationโ€™s Annual Membership Meeting June 30. The honorees include programs supported by Ascension Michigan, Warren; Spectrum Health Lakeland, Saint Joseph; McLaren Bay Region, Bay City; and Chelsea Hospital. The award is named in memory of Patric E. Ludwig, a former MHA president who championed investing in the communityโ€™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.

Dr. Kenneth Coleman receives the Ludwig Award on behalf of Ascension Michigan School-Based Health Centers.
Dr. Kenneth Coleman receives the Ludwig Award on behalf of Ascension Michigan School-Based Health Centers.

Ascension Michigan School-Based Health Centers are an initiative of Ascension Southeast Michigan Community Health, committed to improving the quality of life in the communities the health system serves. Since 1996, the program has developed mental health and medical plans for each of its 29 centers, with funding from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the school districts where clinics are located.

With the increased need for childrenโ€™s mental health services caused by the pandemic, the health centers set a goal to provide mental health services to students transitioning from in-person instruction to remote learning. The health centers expanded telepsychiatry services to maximize access to care and applied for additional state funding to add service sites.

The School-Based Health Centers collaborate with several Ascension Michigan programs and community organizations to address severe mental health issues, substance use disorders, violence, grief, environmental or safety problems, and more.

The Ascension Michigan School-Based Health Centers will use its cash award to address the stigma attached to using mental health services through schoolwide educational activities and youth-produced videos.

For more information on the Ascension Michigan School-Based Health Centers, contact Kenneth Coleman, LPC, PhD, director, community health, at Ascension Michigan at (248) 849-5715.

Greg Lane, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, McLaren Health Care, receives the Ludwig Award on behalf of McLaren Bay Region and its foundation opened the Helen M. Nickless Volunteer Clinic.
Greg Lane, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, McLaren Health Care, receives the Ludwig Award on behalf of McLaren Bay Region and its foundation, which opened the Helen M. Nickless Volunteer Clinic.

McLaren Bay Region and its foundation opened the Helen M. Nickless Volunteer Clinic in March 2004. The clinic serves the primary healthcare needs of disadvantaged residents in Bay and surrounding counties, connecting them with basic health resources through education, prevention and treatment.

The clinic operates Wednesdays from 4 p.m. until the last patient is seen. Three part-time employees oversee clinic operations and patient needs, arranging referrals, prescription assistance, volunteer scheduling and more. More than 175 volunteers, including licensed professionals and lay volunteers, provide more than 2,000 hours of service each year.

From March 2004 through September 2021, the Nickless Clinic provided care to 9,275 individuals during 31,568 visits. When asked where they would have sought care without the clinic, 65% of new patients said they would have forgone care and 20% indicated the emergency room.

The clinic is financed through an endowment fund and annual grants from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, as well as by annual donations from the community. The money from the Ludwig Award will be used to assist in patientsโ€™ prescription medication costs.

For more information on the Helen M. Nickless Volunteer Clinic, contact Lynn Weaver, vice president, philanthropy, McLaren Bay Medical Foundation, at (989) 895-4728.

Lynn Todman, vice president of health equity at Spectrum Health Lakeland
Lynn Todman, vice president of health equity at Spectrum Health Lakeland, receives the Ludwig Award.

Spectrum Health Lakeland established the Center for Better Health in downtown Benton Harbor in November 2020 as a two-month rapid response to COVID-19-related health inequities. Eighty-five percent of Benton Harbor residents are African American, nearly half live in poverty, and many experience conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and pre-term and low birth-weight babies.

The disparate impact of the pandemic on Benton Harbor residents and findings from recent Community Health Needs Assessments highlighted the need for increased access to healthcare services. Spectrum Health Lakeland responded with additional resources to support the centerโ€™s operations and expansion. It is moving from its current 1,200 square foot facility to a 30,000 square foot building donated by the Whirlpool Corporation. Since its opening, more than 2,500 individuals have used the center to conveniently access culturally customized healthcare.

The Ludwig Award will fund a health equity leadership development program designed to prepare community members and hospital staff to effectively collaborate in strengthening Lakelandโ€™s ability to meet the healthcare and social needs of the residents of Benton Harbor and other underserved communities in its service area.

For more information about the Center for Better Health, contact Lynn Todman, vice president of health equity at Spectrum Health Lakeland, at (269) 208-2254.

Rob Casalou receives the Ludwig Award on behalf of Chelsea Hospital and the WAVE Stockbridge-Manchester Shuttle.
Rob Casalou receives the Ludwig Award on behalf of Chelsea Hospital and the WAVE Stockbridge-Manchester Shuttle.

Chelsea Hospital, a joint venture hospital, whose partners are Trinity Health Michigan and University of Michigan Health, spearheaded development of the WAVE Stockbridge-Manchester Shuttle to address a need recognized through the 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment, which identified social isolation as a high priority need and lack of transportation as a risk factor in Stockbridge and Manchester. These towns had no public transportation options, are among the most financially vulnerable communities in the area, and had recently lost vital businesses.

Chelsea Hospital partnered with the nonprofit Western Washtenaw Area Value Express (WAVE) to create routes between these towns and services in Chelsea. The hospital and community leaders worked to ensure the free transportation was available to those who most needed it to build social connections and reduce barriers to employment, education, food access and healthcare.

Chelsea Hospital underwrote initial costs for the WAVE bus to connect the three towns, and Michigan Department of Transportation funding allows it to continue. Between August 2020 and January 2022, the shuttle provided 1,005 rides, more than two-thirds of them to disabled riders.

The Ludwig Award funds will ensure widespread awareness of this service. For more information on the WAVE Stockbridge-Manchester Shuttle, contact Reiley Curran, Chelsea Hospital community health improvement manager, at (734) 593-6269.

To learn more about the MHAโ€™s annual Ludwig Community Benefit Award, contact Erin Steward at the MHA.

News to Know – Week of Feb. 14

Nominations for the 2022 Ludwig Community Benefit Award are due Feb. 18. The award honors healthcare organizations that demonstrate community benefit by improving the health and well-being of their communities through healthcare, economic or social initiatives. Winning programs will be announced at the MHA Annual Membership Meeting in June. For more information, contact Erica Leyko at the MHA.

MHA Monday Report Feb. 7, 2022

MHA Monday Report

MHA Covid-19 updateCombating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Week of Jan. 31

The number of hospitalizations in Michigan due to confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19 was the lowest since early November during the week of Jan. 31. However, with 2,882 adults and 70 children hospitalized Feb. 4 with confirmed and suspected COVID-19, some facilities in the state continue to be …


Medicare to Cover Over-the-counter COVID-19 Tests for Beneficiaries

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is developing an initiative that will provide free access to eight over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per month for Medicare beneficiaries. The initiative will apply to individuals enrolled in both traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans. The new initiative …


Virtual Breakthrough

MHA Breakthrough Converting to Virtual Format

The MHA had hoped for an in-personย Breakthrough event Feb. 17 and 18 but, based on the current environment, the event will beย offered in a virtual format from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 17 on the Zoom platform. …


Webinar to Outline Housing Options to Improve Population Health

Access to affordable, safe, stable housing is well documented as a strong factor in health. The critical shortage of affordable housing directly affects communities and patients, contributing to repeat emergency room visits and hospital admissions. These patients also tend to have limited resources for …


Ludwig Community Benefit Award Nominations Due Feb. 18

Theย 2021 winnersย of the MHAโ€™sย Ludwig Community Benefit Award showcase the wide range of programs Michigan hospitals provide to benefit those in their local areas and beyond. The award is presented annually to recognize MHA-member healthcare organizations that demonstrate …


MHA Rounds Report - Brian Peters, MHA CEOMHA CEO Report โ€” The Time is Now for Health Equity

MHA CEO Brian Peters reviews efforts to eliminate unconscious bias and to address the social determinants of health.


Webinar to Cover Changes in Digital Marketing for Healthcare

The COVID-19 pandemic and the rapidly changing competitive environment are making the consumer digital experience a higher priority for healthcare marketers than ever before. With budgets rebounding and marketers accelerating efforts in personalization, healthcare marketers must invest in new …


The Keckley Report

Paul Keckley

The Resilience of the Health System: Not Enough

โ€œThe healthcare industry is resilientโ€”’the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.โ€™ It responds well to immediate problems like the pandemic and health emergencies. It enjoys well-deserved accolades for its selfless workforce and acts of heroism.ย  But long-term solutions to the widely recognized systemic flaws in our system escape its attention โ€ฆโ€

Paul Keckley, Jan. 31, 2022


News to Know

  • Due to weather-related cancellations, the Michigan Legislature did not meet Feb. 2 and 3 and no action was taken on healthcare-related bills.
  • Myers and Stauffer LC, Michiganโ€™s contractor for the federally mandated Medicaid disproportionate share hospitalย  audits, will host an educational webinar at 10:30 a.m. EST Feb. 15 to assist members with the upcoming 2019 Medicaid DSH audits.
  • As part of a series from the MHA Endorsed Business Partner program, the webinarย Manufacturer Mandates and Claims Capture will be hosted withย SUNRxย from 2 to 3 p.m. EST Feb. 15.

The MHA responded to several media requests the week of Jan. 31 that focused on the history of hospital mergers and acquisitions in Michigan and the current outlook for hospitals regarding COVID-19.

MHA Monday Report Jan. 24, 2022

MHA Monday Report

MICNP and MSMS Address Legislative Policy Panel

The MHA Legislative Policy Panel convened Jan. 19 to develop recommendations for the MHA Board of Trustees on legislative initiatives impacting Michigan hospitals. The meeting was highlighted by presentations from representatives of the Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners and the Michigan State Medical Society …


Grants Awarded to Address Substance Use Disorder in Upper Peninsula

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan announced Jan. 19 that four Upper Peninsula community organizations will receive $490,000 in grant funding to help them address gaps in service for individuals and families facing substance use disorder and to support the development and growth …


Register Now for Jan. 28 Workplace Violence Response Training

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers are five times more likely to suffer a workplace violence injury than workers overall. This affects workers not just physically, but mentally, contributing to burnout and worsening turnover. …


Virtual Breakthrough

MHA Breakthrough Discounts on Registration, Hotel Rates Expire Soon

The MHAโ€™s major membership meetingย Breakthroughย will be held Feb. 17 and 18 at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.ย The earlyย registrationย discount will expire Jan. 28 and the discounted room rate at theย Grand Traverse Resort and Spa will expire Jan. 26. …


Nominations Open Through Feb. 18 for MHA Ludwig Community Benefit Award

The valuable role of Michigan hospitals and healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic is unmistakable. Brave personnel throughout these facilities have worked for two years to care for the staggering number of patients coming through their doors. …


Member Forum to Examine MHA Strategic Action Plan

The MHA will host a virtual member forum from 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 24 to outline the MHA 2021-2022 program yearโ€™s strategic action plan, which the MHA Board of Trustees approved in August. The forum will review the priorities set for the year, progress to date, and the tactics the association will use to …


Trustees Strategic Planning Webinar and New AHA Trustee Insights Available

The webinarย Governance Megatrends: What is the Impact on Your Board? Is scheduled from 1 to 2 p.m. Jan. 26 and will focus on relevant trends to the board and how to perform a comprehensive review of an existing strategic plan through pandemic-era eyes. Registrants will examine …


Salary.comSalary.com Offers 2022 Compensation Best Practices E-book

Salary.com, an MHA Endorsed Business Partner,ย is sharing itsย โ€œ10 Compensation Best Practicesโ€ e-book as a resource for hospital leaders to consider in developing compensation strategies. Hospitals and health systems continue to transform, and compensation …


News to Know

  • The MHA will host a free Lunch and Learn webinar from noon to 12:45 p.m. ET Feb. 1 to provide an update on the latest labor market trends and leading practices to attract and keep valuable employees.
  • DataGen hosted a national webinar Jan. 19 to review the 2022 Medicare fee-for-service outpatient prospective payment system final rule and hospital impact analysis. Aย recordingย from the webinar is available online.

MHA in the News

WXYZ Detroit interviewed MHA CEO Brian Peters Jan. 19 to discuss the impact the COVID-19 surge is having on health systems statewide.


Nominations Open Through Feb. 18 for MHA Ludwig Community Benefit Award

The valuable role of Michigan hospitals and healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic is unmistakable. Brave personnel throughout these facilities have worked for two years to care for the staggering number of patients coming through their doors.

Even during these difficult times, hospitals and health systems have continued to provide services that go beyond the care provided within their walls. To celebrate the best of the community benefits programs hospitals provide, the MHA is accepting nominations for its 2022 Ludwig Community Benefit Award until the close of business Feb. 18.

The award is named for Patric E. Ludwig, former MHA president and Bronson Healthcare Group president, and honors Michigan hospitals that demonstrate outstanding community benefit by improving the health and well-being of their communities through collaborative health, economic or social initiatives.

To assist the winning programs in their efforts to improve the health of their communities, the MHA Health Foundation’s Community Health Improvement Fund presents a $5,000 cash prize in conjunction with the award. The fund was established in 2004 to support innovative community-based health improvement programs led by Michigan hospitals. For more information, contact Erica Leyko at the MHA.