The Detroit News published an article April 15 on all Michigan projects that were earmarked in the final government spending bill for 2024, which included $756,000 for the MHA Keystone Center to support the development and deployment of evidence-based best practices and hands-on training to nursing home staff for the prevention of infections.
“The Michigan Health & Hospital Association’s Keystone Center got $756,000 to put toward staff training and technical assistance in nursing homes for infection prevention. MHA spokesman John Karasinski said the training will focus on emerging pathogens, particularly Candida auris, a yeast that’s often resistant to antifungal treatments and spreads easily in healthcare facilities.”
By implementing these best practices, hospitals and nursing homes can collectively improve patient outcomes by reducing infection risk and unnecessary hospitalizations, while improving post-acute care bed availability.
Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.
In observance of Black Maternal Health Week this April 11-17, Carlie Austin, maternal infant health policy specialist, MHA, and Sarah Scranton, vice president, safety & quality and executive director, MHA Keystone Center, share the importance of addressing disparities in maternal care and actions to reduce them.
Conversations about disparities in care are difficult and nuanced. How can hospitals and health systems facilitate productive conversations about the disparities that exist in maternal healthcare?
Carlie: Culture shifts must occur at the societal, system and interpersonal level to enact meaningful change. Healthcare needs to adopt a transparency-first culture where acknowledging our challenges is not only accepted, but encouraged. We cannot address systemic imbalances without first acknowledging our roles and limitations. Michigan hospitals and health systems are responsible for creating cultures in which their staff, partners and patients feel safe to provide constructive feedback. While it is important for our hospitals and systems to create space for transparent discussions, they also deserve the same from society. For hospitals and health systems to candidly acknowledge their roles and limitations, they must feel safe. Therefore, assessing and addressing the reasons why systems feel unsafe in their abilities to do so is a vital aspect of the conversation that largely goes unheard.
Sarah: To Carlie’s point, culture plays a pivotal role in health outcomes. Quality care cannot exist without equitable care. While we have made great strides toward celebrating staff who speak up to prevent harm to patients and staff, we must also welcome dialogue that extends beyond specific cases. Data shows that racial disparities in care are systemic, so we must be willing to examine all aspects of our systems and processes that may impact patient care.
As anchor institutions in their communities, how can hospitals and health systems foster cross-sector collaboration that addresses systemic issues like maternal health disparities?
Sarah: Hospitals and health systems are uniquely positioned to improve health, but many other organizations play a critical role in the wellbeing of communities. While acute care has been the primary focus of health equity efforts, social determinants of health must also be recognized. Hospitals invest heavily in their communities, forging strong relationships with nonprofit organizations, local businesses and policymakers. An unwavering commitment to collaboration is essential to eliminate systemic challenges.
Carlie: Effective collaborations start with how you view the problem. Hospitals take meaningful action to improve the quality of care during delivery and the immediate days after. However, we know the health of birthing people is not determined at the point of labor and delivery. There remains a substantial gap in improving preconception health and postpartum health. Birthing people are impacted by a plethora of factors external to the hospital or health system’s direct control; however, it is essential that everyone broadens their belief about their responsibility of the problem and their ability to reduce disparities beyond their historical purview. It must be a collective effort with a shared accountability across the continuum if we want to ensure population-level change.
What are some immediate actions Michigan hospitals and health systems can take to improve care for Black birthing people?
Carlie: Examine the audiences we are engaging to address disparities in care. While messaging toward decision-makers and hospital leaders is immensely valuable, we must recognize that it is our responsibility to deliver our messages and broaden our conversations to include those we aim to reach or represent. I love the saying, “nothing about us, without us”. Adopting that message in this context means hospitals and health systems should evaluate their engagement with those they are making decisions about and ensure they are intentionally including those of interest in the decision-making process. This will lead to a more robust and tailored approach to addressing pervasive healthcare disparities.
Sarah: Collaboration is one of the most valuable aspects of improving care. The MHA Keystone Center recommends members prioritize the following collaborative initiatives and events this year to supplement existing efforts to reduce disparities in maternal healthcare.
Members are encouraged to register for a free webinar from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. ET March 20 to learn why onsite risk assessments are important. The MHA Keystone Center partnered with HSS in 2023 to provide onsite physical safety and risk assessments for several Michigan hospital partners.
The MHA will host a webinar with ModusOne Health to help members maximize quality metrics and reimbursements from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET on March 27. Members with questions may contact Rob Wood at the MHA.
Nadine Post, MSN, RN (Left), manager of Quality and Patient Safety at MyMichigan Health, and Nicole Stefan, CNMT, MBA, CPPS, CPHRM (Right), manager of Risk Management at Trinity Health Livonia joined for the March episode of the MiCare Champion Cast.
The MHA released a new episode of the MiCare Champion Cast during Patient Safety Awareness Week to uplift why hospitals should prioritize submitting adverse event data, in addition to what can be done to improve the culture around reporting. The episode features Nadine Post, MSN, RN, manager of Quality and Patient Safety at MyMichigan Health, and Nicole Stefan, CNMT, MBA, CPPS, CPHRM, manager of Risk Management at Trinity Health Livonia.
Data is critical for advancing healthcare safety. With this in mind, the MHA Keystone Center Patient Safety Organization (PSO) collects data every day from hospitals and health systems throughout Michigan. The team assembled in June 2023 the Adverse Events Review Committee (AERC) to review adverse events and identify the root cause of medical errors. In addition to providing guidance to hospitals on a case-by-case basis, the committee aims to establish standardized practices and proactive solutions to prevent staff and patient harm.
“Data is knowledge,” said Stefan. “It allows us to see where we’re vulnerable, benchmark and prioritize what we need to work on.”
Organizational culture can often be a barrier for incident reporting. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, studies of hospital-based healthcare workers found that those who perceived that their institution had a strong commitment to safety were much more likely to be compliant with standard precautions than those who did not.
“One of the components of building a culture of safety is having leaders at unit levels being active listeners so that frontline employees understand that they have executive support,” said Post, who serves as co-chair of the committee. “Psychological safety is so important,” Stefan added. “If they [frontline staff] feel safe, they will take the time to report – they will feel comfortable to.”
Those interested in the MHA Keystone Center PSO or the AERC should contact the MHA Keystone Center. Current PSO members are also encouraged to submit nominations for the quarterly Speak-up! Awardto acknowledge the efforts of individuals or teams who are preventing harm to patients or fellow staff members.
“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” – Simon Sinek
Workforce Support and Innovation is the top priority for the MHA this program year, as identified by our board of trustees and echoed by every member hospital and health system throughout the state. This should come as no surprise, as few sectors of our Michigan economy have been more challenged in this regard. I am proud to say the MHA has tackled this challenge head-on, using every tool in our increasingly diverse association toolbox.
For our members, we know delivering exceptional care begins with hiring, developing and retaining quality talent. We also know that the demographic realities of an aging population and the associated retirements, rising stress and burnout, and increased rates of violence against healthcare workers are all contributing to retention challenges and staffing shortages. Finally, as with any daunting issue, we know the best way for us to be helpful to our members is to first tap their expertise, letting them share the details of their day-to-day experience so we can identify the most impactful solutions both inside and outside of the public policy domain. In short, we listen.
Through our MHA Human Resources & Workforce Council, we convene our HR professionals to discuss issues such as workforce development, the education and training pipeline, diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, workplace safety, and emerging technologies that can aid in the completion of clinical and non-clinical tasks. The council generates robust information sharing on best practices, as well as discussion on HR-related legislative and regulatory proposals at the state and federal level.
Our work with this council does not occur in a vacuum but is instead complemented by our continual engagement with MHA committees, councils and task forces that include chief medical officers, chief nursing officers, hospital and health system attorneys and government affairs leaders. So, what have we accomplished to date? The list is long and impressive. Just a few examples:
Over the past two state budget cycles, we secured $300 million in new funding for our member hospitals for the specific purpose of workforce recruitment and retention.
We launched the new MI Hospital Careers campaign, which has helped to shine a light on hospitals and healthcare as a viable career path for Michiganders. We also continue to partner with state universities and community colleges to ramp up health-related training programs.
Our MHA Graphic Services division designed and produced workplace safety posters, which are now prominently displayed in hospitals throughout Michigan.
The MHA is hosting our annual Human Resources Conference this month, which brings together chief human resource officers and leaders to collaborate, strategize and network. The conference is headlined by Kerry Ebersole Singh, the chief talent solutions & engagement officer at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Her presence confirms the MEDC’s recognition of the significant role healthcare plays in our state’s labor force and economic success – a fact we annually lift up in our Economic Impact of Healthcare report.
The MHA Service Corporation (MHASC) plays a vital role in this realm. Our HR Conference is sponsored by MHA Endorsed Business PartnersAMN Healthcare and Salary.com (as well as MHA members Executive Core and HPS, and event sponsor Vault Verify), who are all involved in the workforce solutions space. The MHASC is working with partners who assist hospitals with de-escalation training and staff safety, virtual nursing programs and other emerging technologies, and more.
The MHASC is crucial to our work here in yet another way. The MHA Unemployment Compensation Program has a decades-long track record of success, saving millions of dollars every year for their more than 700 clients.
Everything listed is an example of proactive, positive activity. In other words, “playing offense.” Of course, one of our most significant activities in the workforce realm is an example of “playing defense” by ensuring government mandated nurse staffing ratio legislation that would significantly jeopardize patient access to care is not advanced by the state legislature. As discussed at length in a recent CEO Report, the MHA has worked very effectively to explain the complexity associated with hospital staffing and the tangible solutions that will actually address workforce shortages.
There is no silver bullet to solving healthcare’s workforce challenges. Michigan’s population is not growing and there are many market forces at play unique to healthcare. However, I’m extremely pleased by the work our own MHA staff has put forth to best position our members to achieve our workforce goals. And it couldn’t be done without the engagement from our colleagues in hospitals throughout the state who are doing all they can to ensure access to high quality care 24/7/365. Collectively, these are people who are clearly emotionally invested and making significant contributions to this worthy cause.
Both the modules and the guide clarify the latest requirements and provide actionable strategies for implementing health equity programming in an acute care setting.
Module 1: Overview of CMS health equity requirements.
Module 2: Outline of The Joint Commissions standards.
Module 3: Explanation of how to use the guide to develop a comprehensive and compliant health equity program.
The intended audience for these resources includes designated health equity leader(s) and the multidisciplinary team(s) responsible for developing and implementing health equity programming. The module series can also be used as an onboarding and educational tool across a health system or hospital’s leadership, staff and governance to articulate expectations for these requirements and create buy-in.
The Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management is now accepting nominations for the Paul Venzke Award for Outstanding Performance in the field of Healthcare Risk Management. Nominations will be accepted until Feb. 28. Members with questions about the nomination requirements may contact the MHA Keystone Center.
The MHA received media coverage over the holidays during the weeks of Dec. 18, Dec. 25 and Dec. 31. Topics covered include the healthcare workforce, the MHA Keystone Center, air ambulance services and a review of 2023.
MHA Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Ruthanne Sudderth spoke with Crain’s Detroit Business about registered apprenticeship programs.
Below is a collection of headlines from around the state, which include interviews with MHA CEO Brian Peters; Ruthanne Sudderth, senior vice president and chief strategy officer, MHA; and Sarah Scranton, vice president, safety & quality and executive director, MHA Keystone Center.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently announced an expansion of Medicaid coverage effective Jan. 1, 2024 to include community health worker (CHW) services. The MDHHS also issued a final policy establishing …
Physicians and other qualified practitioners will be reimbursed for substance use disorder (SUD) consultations in the inpatient hospital or emergency department setting effective Jan. 1, 2024. These services include assessment, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of individuals during …
Primary healthcare providers will be reimbursed for substance use disorder (SUD) treatments that are provided in an office-based primary care setting effective Jan. 1, 2024. This applies to providers who do not have a specialty SUD benefit services contract with a Prepaid .…
As strides are made to address inequities and disparities in healthcare, governing and regulatory bodies including The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have created guidelines, benchmarks and policies that evolve over time. The MHA Keystone …
The deadline to enroll a trustee in the new MHA Governance Affinity Group is Friday, Dec. 22. The benefits of a well-run meeting go beyond parliamentary procedure. Proper communication and facilitation skills needed to make decisions about strategic issues drive performance and .…
The MHA is at the forefront of advocating for vaccination awareness and education, particularly focusing on the challenges associated with the Beyfortus (nirsevimab) monoclonal antibody for infants entering their first respiratory syncytial virus season. The association is …
The December edition of Trustee Insights, the monthly digital package from the American Hospital Association (AHA), includes an article on the board’s role in patient experience. The average hospital has turned over 105% of its workforce in the last five years and national …
“In the last 2 weeks, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been inserted itself in Campaign 2024 by Republican aspirants for the White House …
It’s no surprise. Health costs and affordability rank behind the economy as top issues for Republican voters per the latest Kaiser Tracking Poll. And distaste with the status quo is widespread and bipartisan: per the Keckley Poll (October 2023), 70% of Americans including majorities in both parties and age-cohorts under 65 think “the system is fundamentally flawed and needs major change.” To GOP voters, the ACA is to blame. …
The ACA is back on the radar in U.S. healthcare. Stay tuned.”
Clarence Rucker, manager, patient safety and quality, MHA Keystone Center.
Clarence Rucker, manager, patient safety and quality, MHA Keystone Center, is featured in COLOR Magazine’s 40 Under 40 Powerlist. In his role, Rucker helps hospitals adopt a strong patient safety culture, working with clinical and administrative teams on solutions and tools that enhance care quality.
Due to the holidays, Monday Report will not be published Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, and will resume its normal schedule Jan. 8. Member alerts and MHA newsroom articles will continue to be published during that time to provide relevant updates to the MHA membership, as necessary.
The Affordable Care Act is Back on Stage: What to Expect
