MHA Advancing Safe Care Award - MHA | Michigan Health & Hospital Association

MHA Monday Report March 6, 2023

March 6, 2023March 3, 2023 Monday Report

Healthcare Workforce Supplemental Passed by Michigan Legislature

During the week of Feb. 27, the Michigan Legislature passed a supplemental appropriation bill that included $75 million to help address the ongoing staffing crisis in hospitals. The appropriation was part of House Bill 4016. …

Application Period Begins for Michigan Opioid Treatment Access Loan Repayment Program

Applications for the Michigan Opioid Treatment Access Loan Repayment Program (MIOTA) will be accepted from Feb. 27 through March 13. MIOTA is a medical education debt repayment program focused on incentivizing healthcare providers to begin …

Nominations Being Accepted for 2023 Advancing Safe Care Award

Registration Open for MHA Human Resources Member Forum

The MHA will host an in-person Human Resources Member Forum at the MHA Headquarters in Okemos from 8:30 a.m. to noon April 26, with a virtual option available as well. The forum is structured as …

Using Interim Leadership to Strengthen Organizational Agility

AMN Healthcare / B.E. Smith has a track record of success in providing experienced interim leaders to fill open positions while clients conduct searches for a replacement. An additional item, AMN Leadership / B.E. Smith is excited to offer is …

MHA CEO Report — The Challenges for Rural Hospitals

Having just returned from the annual American Hospital Association Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, where I was joined by a strong contingent of MHA members and staff, the future of our rural hospitals has been top of mind.

The Keckley Report

Strategery in Healthcare: Are Insiders Prepared to Shift?

“Healthcare’s insiders talk good games but default to incrementalist’ strategery not because the future is an unknown. It’s because many boards are uncomfortable with ‘too much’ change or, in some cases, executive comp is geared to risk avoidance and short-term financial success. Often, excuses masquerade as reasons. That’s why outsiders are gaining ground on insiders.

Healthcare’s future is not a repeat of its past. Strategery in every organization needs a fresh look– especially among its insiders.“

Paul Keckley, Feb. 27,2023

News to Know

The MHA is offering its popular Healthcare Leadership Academy program on March 13-15 and May 15-16.
Registration is now open for the MHA Keystone Center Safe Patient Handling Conference.

Nominations Being Accepted for 2023 Advancing Safe Care Award

March 1, 2023 Member News

To recognize Michigan hospitals that are tackling issues daily to make care safer and more dependable, the MHA is accepting nominations for its annual Advancing Safe Care Award. Eligible nominees include teams from hospitals across the state dedicated to transparency regarding the quality of care provided to their patients and providing unmatched care to different patient populations. Nominations for the 2023 award will be accepted through March 24.

The award honors teams within MHA-member hospitals who are committed to providing quality care to diverse socioeconomic populations, promoting transparency within organizations, leading the charge for quality improvement and achieving better outcomes due to strong culture of safety. The award does not limit the number of team members who can be included in the nomination.

Judging for this award is based on four criteria:

Reducing health disparities among specific patient populations.
Supporting a learning culture committed to trust, feedback and higher problem-solving.
Evidence of transparency among care teams, with patients and families and with community stakeholders.
Improving safety by creating high degrees of psychological and physical safety.

For more information on nominating a team for the Advancing Safe Care Award, contact Erica Leyko at the MHA.

Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services Receives MHA Advancing Safe Care Award

July 1, 2022July 8, 2022 News Releases

The MHA announced the winner of its 2022 Advancing Safe Care Award June 30, honoring a dedicated team at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services in Grand Rapids. The award was announced during the association’s Annual Membership Meeting.

The MHA Advancing Safe Care Award honors healthcare teams within MHA-member hospitals that demonstrate a fierce commitment to providing care to different patient populations, show evidence of an improved safety culture, lead the charge for quality improvement, and demonstrate transparency in their efforts to improve healthcare.

Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services set up a special care unit in 2020 for behavioral health patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and a residential unit for COVID-19-positive patients in the adult foster care system. Pine Rest was the only behavioral health facility in West Michigan accepting psychiatric patients with COVID-19 and one of only a few in the state. Inspired by healthcare workers serving the sickest COVID-19 patients, Pine Rest employees sought to ease their burden while providing high-quality behavioral healthcare.

Mark Eastburg, PhD, president and CEO, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, receives the MHA Advancing Safe Care Award.

The hospital renovated space for the unit and trained staff to use telehealth equipment, allowing patients to virtually attend groups and classes from their rooms. Clinical and nonclinical staff were trained on wearing personal protective equipment, which had previously been rarely needed. The infection prevention and risk teams developed protocols for testing patients and staff. All nurses in the special care unit were trained in collecting samples for testing, and a performance improvement project boosted their ability to assess and manage patients’ pain.

Pine Rest developed a COVID-19 Dashboard, keeping staff aware of positive patients and staff members. Information was regularly shared with the Kent County Health Department, area hospitals and statewide behavioral health units to coordinate efforts.

For more information on the Pine Rest Special Care Unit, contact Harmony Gould, vice president of hospital and residential services, at Pine Rest at (616) 455-5000.

MHA Monday Report March 21, 2022

March 21, 2022April 24, 2023 Monday Report

Combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Week of March 14

As Michigan begins the third year of living with COVID-19, new cases, hospitalizations and deaths are trending downward and hopes are high that a new variant will not emerge to cause another surge of disease. The state reported …

Legislature Advances Prior Authorization, Workplace Safety Bills

During the week of March 14, the Michigan Legislature acted on a bill to make changes to the prior authorization process for commercial insurers and a bill to increase penalties for assaulting healthcare employees and volunteers. …

Cybersecurity Member Forum Scheduled for June 2

Cyberattacks are a clear and present danger to patient care and safety and are becoming a more frequent reality. Most recently, ransomware criminals issued a public statement indicating they stand ready to retaliate against the West in defense of Russia. Reinforcing cybersecurity as part of the organization’s …

$35 Million in Grants Available for Mental Health Support

The Department of Health and Human Services announced March 9 that nearly $35 million in funding is available nationally to strengthen and expand community mental health services and suicide prevention programs for children and young adults. Grants are available through the …

The Keckley Report

Drug Manufacturers are Fighting their Holy War on Three Fronts

“The conundrum facing the drugmakers is this: insurers, clinicians, regulators and consumers believe prescription drugs work reasonably well—they trust the safety, efficacy and effectiveness of prescription drugs. But voters (83%) think drug prices are inexplicably too high, suspecting manufacturers of systemic price gauging and greed. And policy proposals tying US prices to international comparisons are gaining momentum … Pricing is opaque and under increased pressure.

“In response, drug manufacturers have escalated their war against price constraints on three fronts as they adjudicate their defense to Congress and state legislatures.”

Paul Keckley, March 14, 2022

News to Know

Nominations for the 2022 MHA Advancing Safe Care Award are due March 25.

MHA Monday Report March 14, 2022

March 14, 2022April 24, 2023 Monday Report

Awards Will Honor Safe Care, Healthcare Leadership

Nominations are open for both the MHA Advancing Safe Care Award and the MHA Healthcare Leadership Award. The MHA Advancing Safe Care Award recognizes teams of healthcare professionals in Michigan hospitals that are fiercely committed to providing safe, quality care for all …

Patient Safety Awareness Week Promotes Understanding of Safer Healthcare

Celebrate Patient Safety Awareness Week March 13 through 19. Patient Safety Awareness Week is an annual recognition intended to encourage all to learn more about healthcare safety. Additionally, it highlights the importance of patient safety, celebrates progress to improve care and focuses on …

Governance and Leadership Dynamics Important to Community Health

Healthcare boards and executives have a shared responsibility to keep their organizations on track for the good of their communities. Optimizing the CEO-governing board connection and interdependency ignites a synergistic combination of governance and leadership. …

MHA Links Fore Health Sponsorship Opportunities Available

Participants will gather from June 29 through July 1 for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting on Mackinac Island. This meeting is the most important association event of the year and is attended by more than 80 percent of chief …

MHA Mourns Loss of MyMichigan Health Leader Diane Postler-Slattery

MyMichigan Health President and CEO Diane Postler-Slattery, PhD, FACHE, and her husband, Don, died unexpectedly as a result of a plane crash in Florida the evening of March 8, the health system reported. Funeral arrangements had not yet been announced as of March 11. …

Care for Caregivers to Win the Staffing Battle

The nursing labor shortage is not going away any time soon. There’s no magic wand for addressing the short supply of clinicians. So, what can be done now? Retain staff. Medical Solutions is an endorsed business partner of the MHA and a leading provider of innovative …

The Keckley Report

Systemness in Healthcare: Pipedream or Possible?

“Since 2007, the concept of ‘systemness’ in healthcare has drawn attention as a framework for needed true innovation. Systemness is defined as ‘the state, quality, or condition of a complex system, that is, of a set of interconnected elements that behave as, or appear to be, a whole, exhibiting behavior distinct from the behavior of the parts.’ It is essential, complex, fragmented, inefficient, unsustainable, and change-averse. Systemness is needed in healthcare now more than ever.”

Paul Keckley, March 7, 2022

Awards Will Honor Safe Care, Healthcare Leadership

March 8, 2022September 26, 2022 Member News

Nominations are open for both the MHA Advancing Safe Care Award and the MHA Healthcare Leadership Award.

The MHA Advancing Safe Care Award recognizes teams of healthcare professionals in Michigan hospitals that are fiercely committed to providing safe, quality care for all their patients. Nominations will be accepted for the 2022 Advancing Safe Care Award through March 25 for teams using that commitment across socio-economic populations to lead quality improvement, promote transparency and build a strong culture of safety.

Judging for this award is based on four criteria:

Reducing health disparities among specific patient populations.
Supporting a learning culture committed to trusting, feedback and higher problem-solving.
Evidence of transparency among care teams, with patients and families, and with community stakeholders.
Improving safety by creating high degrees of psychological and physical safety.

Past awardees include the healthcare team who created and supported Bronson Healthcare’s Community Partnered Vaccine Clinics and Health Equity Project and the team at Spectrum Health Pennock for its Journey to Zero Infections project.

The annual presentation of the MHA Healthcare Leadership Award honors those who have demonstrated outstanding healthcare leadership within individual facilities and in their communities. Nominations of exceptional healthcare trustees, executives, physicians, nurses or other leaders for the award will be accepted through April 1.

Nominees will be evaluated on a 100-point scoring system for their organizational and leadership/culture contributions. To be eligible, a nominee must represent an MHA-member organization in good standing and have been actively involved with the healthcare organization within the last three years.

Winners of the 2021 Healthcare Leadership Award were Robert Crumb, CEO Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, Manistique, and Darryl Elmouchi, MD, president, Spectrum Health West Michigan, Grand Rapids.

Award winners for 2022 will be announced during the MHA Annual Membership Meeting in June. Members with questions should contact Erica Leyko at the MHA.

MHA Monday Report March 7, 2022

March 7, 2022April 24, 2023 Monday Report

Combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Week of Feb. 28

The state of Michigan reported that 1,842 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed statewide March 3 and 4, with an average of 921 cases per day. Out of 68 recorded COVID-19-related deaths for the two days, 54 were identified during a Vital Records review. Adults in the hospital March 4 with …

Behavioral Health Funding, Essential Health Provider Program Expansion is Advanced

The Michigan Legislature acted on several pieces of legislation impacting hospitals during the week of Feb. 28. Some of the covered topics included behavioral health funding, streamlining prior authorization requests, increased penalties for …

Apply by March 31 for New Graduate Medical Education Residency Openings

Applications are due March 31 for hospitals to apply for new graduate medical education residency slots provided under Section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. Hospitals will be required to complete their applications and submit them through the Medicare Electronic Application …

Federal 100% Cost Share for COVID-19 Expenses Extended

The Federal Emergency Management Agency in February 2021 increased federal funding for COVID-19 pandemic expenses from 75% to 100%, retroactive to the beginning of the pandemic in January 2020. The agency has now extended the COVID-19 federal 100% cost share for an …

Nominations Being Accepted for 2022 Advancing Safe Care Award

In hospitals across the state, healthcare personnel work together to ensure patients receive safe, high-quality care. To recognize Michigan hospitals that are tackling issues daily to make care safer and more dependable, the MHA …

Virtual Nurse Training Programs Available

The MHA and the Michigan Health Council are partnering on two offerings designed to strengthen the nursing workforce. The Clinical Faculty Academy is a virtual training program preparing nurses for the role of clinical instructors. The interactive training materials, based on adult learning …

MHA CEO Report — Auto No-fault: Our Work Continues

MHA CEO Brian Peters reviews efforts from the MHA to address and reform Michigan’s auto no-fault insurance law.

Webinar Reviews CMS CoPs on Telemedicine Standards

Significant changes were recently made to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Conditions of Participation regarding regulatory standards of telemedicine because of the COVID-19 pandemic. These standards, along with 1135 telemedicine waivers and new tag numbers assigned for …

Donations Sought to Aid Ukrainian Refugees

Ukrainians affected by the ongoing crisis in their country are in desperate need of help. The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation has established a fund to provide food, medical care and emergency supplies to refugee families. The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation is a strategic organization aimed at supporting …

MHA Announces Senior Staff Promotions, Additions

The Michigan Health & Hospital Association is promoting Laura Appel to executive vice president of government relations and public policy from her prior role as senior vice president, health policy & innovation. In this role, which takes effect …

The Keckley Report

Telehealth at a Crossroad: Atrophy or Accelerate?

“Two explanations for the downward trend in telehealth utilization are widely offered: 1-the increased risks associated with inaccurate or incomplete information exchanged between a patient and physician virtually and/or compromised personal health information, and 2-lack of adequate reimbursement by payers. Each is valid.”

Paul Keckley, Feb. 28, 2022

MHA in the News

MiBiz interviewed Adam Carlson, senior vice president, advocacy, for a story published Feb. 27 on the $300 million funding appropriation for healthcare recruitment, retention and training recently signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.