MHA CEO Report — The Story of the MHA Program Year

MHA Rounds Report - Brian Peters, MHA CEO

“Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.”Peter Drucker

MHA Rounds Report - Brian Peters, MHA CEOThe theme of the 2022-2023 MHA program year was telling our story. With focus and passion, we told the stories of our hospitals and health systems, the challenges and adversity they face, and how they still provide high quality and accessible healthcare to their communities. This theme was intended to ensure that we as healthcare leaders continue to help those who don’t live and breathe healthcare understand the ways we are working to meet the most pressing needs, but also the support we need from other sectors to continue to offer strong and daily access to care for all. Our theme served to frame the four distinct pillars of our association strategic action plan, which included the financial sustainability of hospitals, workforce restoration and well-being, the behavioral health crisis and continued efforts towards achieving health equity.

I’m pleased to share we made significant progress in telling our story and achieving tangible, impactful results under each of the four strategic pillars, which is summarized in the latest MHA Annual Report. This work evolved around the ending of the COVID-19 public health emergency, a pandemic that tried our member organizations, and especially their healthcare workers, like nothing has before in most of our lifetimes. A large part of our success in making this transition and achieving so many significant outcomes was due to the MHA Board of Trustees, who I want to thank for their strong leadership and commitment to advancing the health of individuals and communities. I particularly want to express my gratitude to our outgoing Chair, T. Anthony Denton, for his steadfast leadership throughout this year.

Key to our efforts to safeguard the financial viability of hospitals is our continued focus on the state budget. Not only were we successful in continuing existing supplemental payment pools such as for Disproportionate Share Hospitals, Graduate Medical Education, Rural Access and Obstetrical Stabilization, but we also secured a Medicaid outpatient hospital rate increase. Collectively, these victories generated hundreds of millions in funding for Michigan hospitals. Long a priority of our association, the MHA also successfully advocated to ensure the Healthy Michigan Plan (our Medicaid expansion program) is fully funded. Our advocacy team continues to be one of the most respected in Lansing, as we saw several MHA-supported bills signed into law while experiencing a 100% success rate in making sure none of the 10 bills we opposed became statute.

Each of the four pillars are equally important to our membership, but it is hard to overstate just how important workforce restoration and well-being is to our healthcare leaders. This is the issue that keeps each of them up at night, whether it is finding new staff or protecting and retaining their existing workers. Our advocacy efforts secured an additional $75 million in funding to support the hospital workforce while also securing $56 million in funding to support partnerships to offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs at community colleges. We also continue to advocate for increased penalties for those who verbally or physically harm healthcare workers, providing them with protections they deserve as front-line caregivers, much like emergency responders receive. The MHA Keystone Center has been active in offering well-being resources, trainings, safety and security risk assessments and other offerings, continuing their long history as a leader in safety and quality not just here in Michigan, but nationally and internationally. Lastly, we recently launched a statewide healthcare career awareness campaign to entice students to pursue health career pathways.

Our work on behavioral health continues, as there remains a need to expand the number of behavioral health professionals and facilities to provide better access to care. The MHA secured both $50 million in the fiscal year 2023 state budget for expanding pediatric inpatient capacity, while adding an additional $10 million to create Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities to alleviate state hospital capacity issues. Much of the feedback we have received is the need to add quantitative data to the conversation to demonstrate to lawmakers and stakeholders the degree of the crisis. For several months, our team has been collecting data weekly on the number of patients waiting for a behavioral health bed in Michigan hospitals. This demonstrates the degree to which patients are having difficulty finding care, while also showing how many patients are utilizing hospital resources while the facility receives no reimbursement due to not having an acute care diagnosis billing code.

Lastly, we will not rest as our members continue to address health disparities to ensure health equity. The MHA Keystone Center works closely with the Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (MI AIM) to help address disparities and reduce the risk of maternal death. This past program year, their efforts resulted in 77% of Michigan birthing hospitals participating in MI AIM, 94% of which are compliant with the pre-partum assessment and 89% are compliant with the post-partum assessment. Our work with the MHA Public Health Task Force also continues as they explore strategies for collaboration that can improve data collection and public health initiatives.

Of course, there are always other items that come up that require MHA attention and effort that are not always known during the development of the strategic action plan. Responding to the shortages of chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and carboplatin and working with Michigan’s Congressional delegation is just one example of the value of association membership and how quickly we can mobilize our relationships in a time of crisis. Other wildcards include our work on licensing Rural Emergency Hospitals, tracking and increasing awareness of candida auris infections and expanding hospital bed capacity.

As we concluded our program year during our Annual Meeting on Mackinac Island, we were able to honor a true healthcare champion with our Meritorious Service Award in U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow. She announced earlier this year she will not seek an additional term in office and this award is the highest honor our association can bestow on an individual for their years of work towards enabling the health and wellness of individuals and communities. We have worked closely with Sen. Stabenow from her time in elected office in the Michigan Legislature to Congress and she will leave an extraordinary legacy for which the MHA family will be eternally grateful. We also had an opportunity to honor a number of other outstanding individuals for their contributions to Michigan healthcare.

Above all else, I want to take this opportunity to thank all MHA staff for their many contributions which made it another successful program year. The challenges we confront in healthcare are daunting and constantly evolving, but my confidence in our team at the MHA has never wavered, as they continue to display their exceptional commitment to their work and embody the MHA culture of member service and value creation every single day.

Now as we formally begin our 2023-24 program year on July 1, I am excited for the leadership of our new Chair Shannon Striebich. We offer our congratulations to her and look forward to working closely together. A year from now, I am confident we will once again be able to report on the successful outcomes we were able to achieve through our unity, collaboration and plain old fashioned hard work.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

Health & Hospital Association Elects 2023-2024 Officers and Board Members

2023-24 MHA Board Chair Shannon Striebich.
2023-24 MHA Board Chair Shannon Striebich.

Members of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) elected new officers and appointed board members during the association’s Annual Membership Meeting June 29. Officers of the 2023-2024 MHA Board of Trustees include Shannon Striebich, chair; Julie Yaroch, DO, chair-elect; and Bill Manns, treasurer. In addition, Brian Peters was reappointed to serve an indefinite term of office as CEO of the association. The board directs the greater Lansing-based association’s statewide representation of hospitals and healthcare providers.

Striebich, ministry president and senior vice president, Operations, Trinity Health Michigan, will serve as chair during the association’s 2023-2024 program year beginning July 1. The terms of service of Yaroch, president, ProMedica Charles and Virginia Hickman Hospital, Adrian; and Manns, president and CEO, Bronson Healthcare Group, Kalamazoo, will also span the 2023-2024 program year. T. Anthony Denton, senior vice president and chief ESG officer, University of Michigan Health/Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, will serve as immediate past chair.

Brian Peters
MHA CEO Brian Peters.

“On behalf of the full MHA membership, I want to thank Tony Denton for his terrific leadership of the MHA Board through a year of challenges that included the ending of the COVID-19 public health emergency, workforce shortages and more,” said MHA CEO Brian Peters. “We are grateful for Tony’s service. We are also excited to welcome Shannon Striebich as our incoming chair. There is no questioning Shannon’s commitment to advancing the health of individuals and communities throughout our state.”

Lydia Watson, MD, president and CEO, MyMichigan Health, Midland, was appointed as trustee at-large for a three-year term.

Reappointed for three-year terms on the 2023-2024 MHA Board of Trustees as trustees at-large were Denton, Manns, Gar Atchison, chief executive officer, UP Health System – Marquette, and market president, UP Health System; Mark Eastburg, PhD, president and CEO, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Grand Rapids; and Ed Ness, president and CEO, Munson Healthcare, Traverse City.

Continuing to serve their current terms of service as trustees at-large are Douglas Apple, MD, MS, FHM, chief clinical officer, Ascension Michigan, Warren, and interim president & CEO, Ascension Genesys Hospital, Grand Blanc; Beth Charlton, president and CEO, Covenant HealthCare, Saginaw; Karen Cheeseman, president and CEO, Mackinac Straits Health System, St. Ignace; Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO, Corewell Health, Grand Rapids and Southfield; Jeremiah J. Hodshire, president and CEO, Hillsdale Hospital; Gregory R. Lane, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, McLaren Health Care, Grand Blanc; Brittany Lavis, CEO, Detroit Medical Center; Hunter Nostrant, president and CEO, Helen Newberry Joy Hospital & Healthcare Center, Newberry; Kent Riddle, CEO, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Grand Rapids; and Bob Riney, president and CEO, Henry Ford Health, Detroit.

MHA Celebrates National Hospital Week with Messages from Michigan Leaders

During the week of May 7, the MHA celebrated National Hospital Week (NHW) by sharing a series of videos featuring healthcare, education, government and agriculture leaders across the state thanking Michigan hospitals and healthcare workers for the profound impact they have across communities.

The campaign, based on the American Hospital Association theme #WeAreHealthcare, reached more than 27,000 people and resulted in nearly 3,000 engagements across social media platforms. The Michigan leaders featured in the series included:

  • MHA CEO Brian Peters.
  • Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
  • MHA Board Chair T. Anthony Denton, Senior Vice President and Chief Environmental, Social and Governance Officer, U-M Health.
  • Speaker of the House Joe Tate.
  • Senate Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt.
  • Dan Hurley, CEO of the Michigan Association of State Universities.
  • Michelle Lantz, CEO of the Greater Lansing Food Bank.

Additionally, the MHA shared content from Michigan hospitals thanking the healthcare workforce and highlighting the critical role they play in advancing the health of patients and communities. NHW efforts are a continuation of the MHA’s efforts around telling the story of Michigan hospitals, health systems and healthcare workers. Members with questions may contact Lucy Ciaramitaro at the MHA.

 

MHA Monday Report Feb. 20, 2023

MHA Monday Report

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The Keckley Report

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“The spontaneous reaction to the President’s commentary on Medicare was the biggest surprise of the night! It’s especially significant as 2024 Presidential campaigns launch in the next 90 days (Haley this week) and Congress grapples with the debt ceiling and appropriations to Medicare, Veterans Health, Medicaid, pandemic preparedness and public health to name a few. ….”

Paul Keckley, Feb. 13, 2023


News to Know

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T. Anthony Denton.

MHA in the News

The MHA received media coverage the week of Feb. 13 regarding challenges impacting hospital viability in Michigan and on a statement released by MHA CEO Brian Peters following the shooting Feb. 13 on the campus of Michigan State University …

Media Recap: Hospital Viability & MSU Shooting Statement

T. Anthony Denton.

The MHA received media coverage the week of Feb. 13 regarding challenges impacting hospital viability in Michigan and on a statement released by MHA CEO Brian Peters following the shooting Feb. 13 on the campus of Michigan State University (MSU).

T. Anthony Denton.
MHA Board Chair T. Anthony Denton.

Bridge published an op-ed Feb. 13 from MHA Board Chair T. Anthony Denton, J.D., MHSA, expressing the need to consider short- and long-term policy solutions to the problems facing healthcare in Michigan. Denton is also senior vice-president and chief environmental, social and governance officer of University of Michigan Health-Michigan Medicine.

“I believe in the power of quality healthcare — care that treats the whole person, with attention and dignity and is close to where people live,” said Denton. “We can only continue to provide that care with high levels of commitment to health with proper resources. Please join me in my call to our policy leaders: healthcare is a team sport, and we all have a vital role to fulfill, on behalf of patients, healthcare teams, families and communities.”

The MHA also released a statement from MHA CEO Brian Peters Feb. 14 expressing support to the victims of the MSU shooting. News outlets that published the statement include Becker’s Hospital Review, WILX News 10, Gongwer and the Michigan Business Network.

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

Headline Roundup: Hospital Viability

Brian Peters

The MHA received media coverage the week of Dec. 5 following a virtual press conference Dec. 6 on the financial and staffing challenges impacting hospital viability, as well as topics including hospital capital improvements, mergers and acquisitions and respiratory illness hospital admissions driven by RSV and COVID-19. Stories include comments from MHA CEO Brian Peters, MHA Executive Vice President Laura Appel and MHA Board Chair T. Anthony Denton.

Below is a collection of headlines from around the state that includes interviews or statements from MHA representatives.

Sunday, Dec. 11

Friday, Dec. 9

Thursday, Dec. 8

Wednesday, Dec. 7

Tuesday, Dec. 6

Monday, Dec. 5

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

 

Media Join Hospital Viability Press Conference

Dec. 6 Teleconference Speakers
Dec. 6 virtual press conference speakers.

The MHA conducted a virtual press conference Dec. 6 to discuss the economic and staffing challenges impacting hospitals across the state to generate awareness with lawmakers of these issues and the potential impact on access to timely, high-quality healthcare for Michiganders.

The event occurred while children’s hospitals continue to operate near capacity levels as they continue to care for a surge of children suffering from respiratory illnesses amid staffing shortages. Speakers also referenced how the loss of 1,700 staffed adult inpatient hospital beds across the state has led to longer wait times in the emergency department, reduced services and more difficulty transferring patients. Lastly, the point was made that no other industry is prevented from responding to inflationary pressures and growing expenses to the degree that healthcare is.

Speakers included:

  • T. Anthony Denton, senior vice president and chief operating officer, University of Michigan Health System.
  • JJ Hodshire, president and chief executive officer, Hillsdale Hospital.
  • Dan Hurley, chief executive officer, Michigan Association of State Universities.
  • Brian Peters, chief executive officer, Michigan Health & Hospital Association.
  • Susan Smith, executive director, Economic Development Partnership of Hillsdale County.
  • Rudolph P. Valentini, chief medical officer at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, group chief medical officer at Detroit Medical Center.

Over a dozen media outlets from across the state joined the call, with stories published from Bridge Michigan, The Detroit News, Gongwer, MIRS, Michigan Business Network, MLive, SBGTV and WXYZ.

Following the press conference, a press release was also distributed to statewide media.

Members with questions related to media should be directed to John Karasinski at the MHA.

Michiganders Need Continued Access to High-quality, Timely Healthcare

Michigan’s hospitals are facing a funding crisis, putting communities and families across the state at risk of losing access to high-quality, timely healthcare. Health systems, business and university leaders are urging policymakers to address the crisis to avoid further reduction of available beds and access to care and healthcare services.

Michigan has lost a high of 1,700 staffed hospital beds since 2020 due to lack of staffing. This creates a cascade of problems, from longer wait times in the emergency department, reduced services, particularly in rural areas, and more difficulty transferring patients to the appropriate care setting. Respiratory illnesses are also surging, making problems worse.

T. Anthony Denton

“Recently, we have seen a surge in cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), flu and COVID. This puts an additional pressure on emergency departments and our already-strained inpatient bed capacity across Michigan, impacting care statewide. Without funding to address staffing shortages, we run the risk of compromising our ability to provide the same level of exceptional care that we’re accustomed to across the state,” said T. Anthony Denton, senior vice president and chief operating officer, University of Michigan Health System and Michigan Health & Hospital Association board chair.

A 2021 Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that nearly 30% of healthcare workers are considering leaving their profession altogether. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for 1.1 million new registered nurses nationwide by 2030, the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates two out of every five active physicians nationwide will be 65 or older within the next 10 years, and the nation faces a projected shortage of more than 3.2 million lower-wage healthcare workers such as medical assistants, home health aides and nursing assistants, according to a Mercer report.

“The overall health and prosperity of Michigan is inextricably tied to the state’s investment in its healthcare and higher education enterprises,” said Daniel Hurley, CEO of the Michigan Association of State Universities. “Michigan’s public universities, together with our hospital and other healthcare partners, look forward to working with state leaders to ensure a future healthcare workforce that is capable of providing the highest levels of quality care for all Michiganders.”

The healthcare workforce shortage — combined with an aging population, a rise in chronic diseases and behavioral health conditions and advancements in medical care delivery — all contribute to an immediate need for resources that will allow hospitals to continue to provide the care residents need and deserve.

Despite staffing losses attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare directly employed nearly 572,000 Michigan residents in 2020, continuing to make it the largest private-sector employer in the state. The 2022 Economic Impact of Healthcare in Michigan report found that direct healthcare workers in Michigan earned $44.2 billion in wages, salaries and benefits, with indirect, healthcare-supported workers earning about $28 billion wages, salaries and benefits.

“With healthcare being the largest private-sector employer, a healthy Michigan economy is directly linked to a properly funded healthcare system,” said Susan Smith, executive director, Economic Development Partnership of Hillsdale County. “Without access to healthcare services to support our communities, ranging from obstetrical units to trauma centers, we cannot remain economically competitive, attract or retain talent, or support placemaking for young families and care for everyone at all stages of life.”

Michigan officials have made recent short-term investments to address the hospital staffing crisis, but additional funding remains unappropriated that if used as intended, can improve hospital capacity and service lines. Michigan also needs a long-term funding solution to address stagnant reimbursement that has yet to respond to inflationary pressures to improve the retention of existing healthcare workers and recruit future workers to ensure that residents continue to have access to healthcare services.

Learn how you can help your local hospital or health system by visiting MiCareMatters.org.

Additional quotes:

JJ Hodshire

“Hospitals have an immediate need for resources to continue to provide the services residents need and deserve – like ambulances available for lifesaving care,” said JJ Hodshire, president and chief executive officer, Hillsdale Hospital. “As a rural hospital, we excel at being innovative to make the best use of our resources, particularly staff. However, we can only stretch resources for so long. Everyone can agree that access to lifesaving emergency medical care is a basic need for Michiganders and residents should be able to receive specialized care no matter where they live.”

“My colleagues in pediatric units across the state have spent the past month responding to one of the worst respiratory illness surges I can remember as a physician and the biggest challenge to our ability to care for more children was our lack of available staff,” said Dr. Rudolph P. Valentini, chief medical officer, Children’s Hospital of Michigan and group chief medical offer at Detroit Medical Center. “We can’t afford to have another surge of sick, hospitalized children before something is done to improve the health of our hospitals and health systems.”

Brian Peters

“Michigan residents deserve quality, accessible healthcare services and without hospital resources to adequately provide that care, Michigan hospitals have and will continue to face difficult decisions about what services they can offer,” said Brian Peters, chief executive officer, Michigan Health & Hospital Association.

Media Recap: Stop Nurse Shortages Act & MiCare Champion Cast Coverage

Brian Peters

The MHA received media coverage on through a couple stories during the week of Oct. 17, including on the introduction of the Stop Nurse Shortages Act at the federal level and the latest MiCare Champion Cast episode.

U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) introduced Oct. 18 the Stop Nurse Shortages Act with Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio), which would authorize a $10 million/year grant program to help nursing schools create, expand or support an accelerated nursing degree program. MHA CEO Brian Peters was quoted in the news release supporting the legislation.

“The shortage of nurses is disrupting our entire health care system,” said Peters. “Michigan hospitals welcome every effort to increase the availability of education opportunities for those who wish to join the high-skilled career of nursing. The MHA applauds this comprehensive effort to fund capacity, faculty, and student financial assistance for accelerated training programs.”

State of Reform also published a story Oct. 19 recapping the latest MiCare Champion Cast podcast episode that included a conversation with Peters and T. Anthony Denton, J.D., MHSA, senior vice president and CEO of University of Michigan Health – Michigan Medicine, and 2022-2023 Chair of the MHA Board of Trustees discussing the top priorities for the MHA’s 2022-23 program year.

MHA Podcast Explores Program Year Priorities with Michigan Medicine

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 this episode, MHA CEO Brian Peters is joined by T. Anthony Denton, J.D., MHSA, senior vice president and CEO of University of Michigan Health – Michigan Medicine, and 2022-2023 Chair of the MHA Board of Trustees. The two explore priorities for the new program year along with efforts underway to address workforce challenges, improve health equity and support sustainability.

Denton has a vast history working in healthcare – from human resources to administrative operations. He has worked on master program and facility planning, capital investments, workforce planning and execution, environmental sustainability, social determinants of health and programs that create positive community impact. He also serves on state, national and community boards and was recently chair of the MHA political action committee – also known as Health PAC – that raised more than $400,000 toward advocating for communities and healthcare organizations.

Part of the episode’s discussion focuses on The Pavilion at University of Michigan Health, a 12-story hospital breaking ground on their Ann Arbor campus. Denton shares insight on what led to the project, along with some key sustainability considerations as construction continues. The new adult inpatient facility is scheduled to open for patient care in the fall of 2025.

This podcast 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. It is currently available via SpotifyiTunes and SoundCloud.

For more information, visit micarematters.org. Members with questions or who would like to submit ideas for future podcasts should contact Lucy Ciaramitaro at the MHA.