Tag: nurse staffing legislation

MHA Hosts Successful Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day

Member News, MHA In The News
Hospital and nurse leaders from across the state of Michigan during the Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day.

The MHA hosted a successful Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day Sept. 13, with more than 130 hospital and nursing leaders participating. Attendees completed 118 meetings with lawmakers, covering 80% of the Michigan Legislature. The relationships and conversations will prove extremely helpful in opposing legislation that would mandate one-size-fits-all nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for all hospitals in the state.

The MHA also hosted press conference and published a press release in conjunction with the advocacy day, releasing new data that illustrates strong public opposition to legislation proposing such a legislative mandate and hospital survey data on the severe impact of the legislation on access to care for Michiganders. The press event resulted in a number of news stories being published throughout the state from outlets including Becker’s Hospital Review, Detroit Free Press, Gongwer, MIRS, Michigan’s Big Show, WILX, WWMT, WJR 760 and WILS 1320.

An infographic that shares the new data and contextualizes the impact to healthcare access for Michiganders was also shared with lawmakers and media. Additional member communications tools are available upon request. Photos from the event can be found on the MHA Facebook page.

The MHA will continue to push back on this one-size-fits-all mandate and educate lawmakers on the harmful impact it could have on patient access to healthcare.

Members with any questions related to the legislation and advocacy efforts may contact Adam Carlson or Elizabeth Kutter at the MHA. Members with questions regarding media or requesting additional communications tools should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day Scheduled

Member News

MHA chief nursing officers and other Michigan hospital leaders are encouraged to register for Hospitals for Patient Access Advocacy Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the MHA Capitol Advocacy Center in downtown Lansing to discuss the substantial harm that proposed legislation mandating registered nurse staffing ratios would have on patient access to care, and real solutions to train and hire more nurses.

MHA members will have the opportunity to have one-on-one meetings with lawmakers, engage with legislative leadership and more throughout the Michigan Capitol and legislative offices.

Action may be taken on these bills by lawmakers in September. Strong representation from MHA membership is important to demonstrate the seriousness of the legislation.

MHA members should register through the MHA member portal by Wednesday, Sept. 6.

MHA members are encouraged to meet with lawmakers in advance of the event. Members can also use the MHA action alert on these bills through the Legislative Action Center on the MHA website to express opposition to a one-size-fits-all legislative mandated ratio.

Questions about registration may be directed to Meghan Protz-Sanders at the MHA. Please contact Elizabeth Kutter at the MHA for any further details or questions.

MHA Podcast Explores Harmful Nurse Staffing Legislation

MiCare Champion Cast, Member News
MI care matters
Kim Meeker, RN, BSN, MBA, president of the Michigan Organization for Nursing Leadership (MONL).

The MHA released another episode of the MiCare Champion Cast, which features interviews with healthcare policy experts in Michigan on key issues that impact healthcare and the health of communities.

On episode 31, MHA CEO Brian Peters and Kim Meeker, RN, BSN, MBA, president of the Michigan Organization for Nursing Leadership (MONL), discuss a recent package of bills introduced in the Michigan Legislature that could severely harm hospitals and access to patient care, if passed.

Senate Bills 334 – 336 and House Bills 4550 – 4552 propose a one-size-fits-all nurse ratio staffing mandate. In a recent joint statement, the MHA and MONL noted how this approach would limit the number of patients receiving hospital care at any one time and services hospitals can offer to their communities, prolong the time it takes for a patient to receive care and hinder many hospital’s ability to respond to a crisis in fear of violating Michigan law.

Throughout the episode, Peters and Meeker explain exactly what this could look like for Michigan nurses and patients while addressing false claims that the bills will help nursing shortages in Michigan – noting more effective solutions, including:

  • Michigan joining the national Nurse Licensure Compact to reduce barriers for out-of-state nurses to move to and practice in Michigan immediately.
  • Increasing eligibility for Michigan Reconnect by lowering the age requirement to 18 and older.
  • Expanding Michigan Reconnect availability to include 4-year institutions.
  • Increasing penalties for violence committed against healthcare workers.

The episode is available to steam on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts and SoundCloud. Those interested in learning more or connecting with local lawmakers on this issue are encouraged to visit the MHA’s Legislative Action Center.

Note: Each interview in this episode was recorded prior to the passing of the legislative fiscal year 2024 state budget. To see MHA CEO Brian Peters statement on new healthcare funding, visit the MHA Newsroom. Additional resources mentioned include the MHA Keystone Center and Duke Center for Healthcare Safety and Quality WellB program and the MI Hospital Careers webpage.

The MiCare Champion Cast is part of the statewide #MiCareMatters campaign, launched in 2017, which aims to build a network of citizens — “MiCare Champions” — who will be called upon to engage in advocacy efforts to protect access to affordable healthcare services in Michigan. Members with questions or who would like to submit ideas for future podcasts should contact Lucy Ciaramitaro at the MHA.

Urge State Lawmakers to Oppose Harmful Hospital Nurse Staffing Legislation

Member News
capitol building

capitol buildingHarmful legislation was introduced in the Michigan Legislature May 11 that proposes mandated nursing staffing ratios, which would exacerbate existing shortages and restrict important access to healthcare services for Michigan patients.

The MHA voiced their public opposition to the bill package immediately following its introduction in a media statement, in conjunction with the Michigan Organization for Nursing Leadership (MONL). Since that time, the MHA has shared its position with all members of the Michigan Legislature and have been in frequent communication with legislative leadership to express the implications of this legislation and how it fails to solve the root cause of nurse staffing shortages.

The MHA is specifically advocating to oppose Senate Bills 334 – 336 and House Bills (HBs) 4550 – 4552, while asking for practical solutions for nursing shortages, which include:

  • Michigan joining the national Nurse Licensure Compact to allow out-of-state nurses to move to and practice in Michigan immediately.
  • Increasing eligibility for Michigan Reconnect by lowering the age requirement to 18 and older.
  • Expanding Michigan Reconnect availability to include 4-year institutions.
  • Increasing penalties for violence committed against healthcare workers.

An action alert is available in the MHA Legislative Action Center of the MHA website to complement the advocacy work of the MHA and member hospitals and health systems. This alert provides a drafted message to be sent to specific lawmakers once demographic information is provided. Members are encouraged to use and share this tool with appropriate stakeholders to help lawmakers understand the magnitude of this issue for hospitals.

The MHA is already conducting social and traditional media efforts, as well as advocacy work, on this critical issue. These efforts will continue through the next several weeks and potentially through the rest of the year.

In other legislative news, bills to make improvements to Michigan’s Medicaid expansion law were advanced from the House Health Policy Committee. HBs 4495 and 4496 were introduced by Rep. Will Snyder (D-Muskegon) and Rep. Graham Filler (R-Clinton County) and are supported by the MHA. The bills are intended to lower out of pocket costs and improve the experience for Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries by streamlining and removing sections that have proven to be arbitrarily penalizing, difficult to administer or otherwise ineffective at improving health outcomes. The bills now head to the House Floor for further consideration.

Members with questions about state legislation may contact Adam Carlson at the MHA.

Headline Roundup: Chemotherapy Drug Shortages & Hospital Workforce

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News, Top Issues - Healthcare
Laura Appel

The MHA received media coverage the week of May 15 regarding a shortage of two critical chemotherapy medications, hospital nurse staffing legislation and the well-being of hospital workers. A press release was published May 17 by the MHA regarding the shortage of cisplatin and carboplatin and the strategies hospitals and health systems are implementing to continue chemotherapy treatments for patients.

MHA representatives appearing in published stories include CEO Brian Peters and Executive Vice President Laura Appel. MONL President Kim Meeker, RN, BSN, MBA, also appears in a story on the nurse staffing legislation, while MHA Keystone Center WELL-B partner Bryan Sexton, PhD, from the Duke Center for Healthcare Safety and Quality, appears in a story about how hospitals assist healthcare workers with feelings of grief and loss.

Below is a collection of headlines from around the state.

Friday, May 19

Thursday, May 18

Wednesday, May 17

Tuesday, May 16

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.