Tag: workplace safety

Hospital Nurses Ensure Healthcare Stays Top of Mind for State Legislators

Member News

The Michigan Organization for Nursing Leadership (MONL) and the American Nurses Association of Michigan (ANA-MI) hosted more than 75 nurses from across the state for an advocacy day at the Michigan State Capitol on Sept. 17.

Nurses from across the state, including many from MHA member hospitals, attended the advocacy day and spoke with lawmakers about protecting healthcare workers from violence, investing in hospitals and healthcare, and nurses’ voices are included when decisions are being made at the state legislative level.

The day featured presentations on healthcare priorities from both Senate Health Policy Chair Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores) and House Health Policy Chair Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington). In addition, MONL and ANA-MI members heard from Representatives Natalie Price (D-Berkley) and Matthew Bierlein (R-Vassar) on addressing workplace safety for healthcare workers. Throughout the day, MONL and ANA-MI leaders met with nearly 45 lawmakers and staff to share legislative and budget priorities.

The MHA recognizes the nurses from member hospitals, as well as lawmakers and legislative staff, who participated in discussions, emphasizing the essential role of hospitals and the urgent need to pass a state budget that prioritizes healthcare before the Sept. 30 deadline.

Members with any questions related to legislation and advocacy efforts may contact the advocacy team at the MHA.

MHA Keystone Center Receives Harry L. McKinley Workplace Safety Leadership Award

Member News, Patient Safety and Quality
Clarence Rucker, senior manager, safety & quality, MHA, Adam Novak, director, safety initiatives, MHA and Amy Brown, chief nursing officer, MHA pictured during Harry L. McKinley Workplace Safety Leadership Award dinner. 

The MHA Keystone Center was honored April 15 at the Michigan Workplace Safety Conference for providing essential workplace safety resources to Michigan healthcare organizations and their staff.

The Harry L. McKinley Workplace Safety Leadership Award celebrates organizations exhibiting leadership commitment and striving for significant and sustainable results for safety excellence in the workplace.

The MHA Keystone Center has provided crucial services to hospitals, clinics, primary care offices, laboratories and urgent cares over the past four years. The more than $968,000 investment has included workplace violence gap analyses, physical security risk assessments, de-escalation and active shooter trainings and safe patient handling and mobility interventions.

The Center was also recognized for forging partnerships with academic institutions to advance healthcare workplace safety. The MHA Keystone Center serves as a founding partner of the Lawrence Technological University Healthcare Violence Reduction Center, a multidisciplinary effort to research violence in healthcare and develop innovative solutions to enhance safety and improve patient care. Additionally, the organization collaborates with Duke University’s Duke Center for the Advancement of Well-being Science to deliver workforce wellbeing services to healthcare staff across Michigan, free of charge. More than 7,000 staff have received these services, with post-intervention assessments showing a 20% reduction in emotional exhaustion over the past three years.

The efforts of the MHA Keystone Center directly contributed to the MHA’s successful efforts to pass landmark state legislation, signed by Governor Whitmer in December 2023, which increase the penalties for assaulting a healthcare worker or volunteer.

For more information about the MHA Keystone Center’s healthcare worker safety initiatives, contact Adam Novak at the MHA.

MHA Monday Report Dec. 9, 2024

Member News, Monday Report

Medical Liability Highlights Healthcare Issues That Receive Legislative Attention

A large collection of healthcare bills, including one that seeks to change medical liability, received attention by the Michigan Legislature during the week of Dec. 2. The House Judiciary Committee reported out House Bill …

Senate Passes Momnibus Bill Package

The Michigan Senate passed the Momnibus, a group of bills designed to improve equity and accountability in prenatal and maternal healthcare during the week of Dec. 2. The legislation includes Senate Bills 818–823, 825 and …

Senate Passes Behavioral Health Bills

The Michigan Senate unanimously passed several MHA-supported bills aimed at improving mental health treatment for individuals involved in the criminal justice system during the week of Dec. 2. Senate Bills (SB) 915 (Hertel-D), 916 (Santana-D), …

FORHP Updates Definition of Rural Area

The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) recently announced updates to its definition of “rural area” to improve healthcare resource allocations in rural areas. A key addition is the use of the Rural Ruggedness …

CMS Releases Medicare 2025 Outpatient Prospective Payment System Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule to update the Medicare fee-for-service outpatient prospective payment system effective Jan. 1,  2025. The final rule: Provides a net 2% increase …

MHA Continues to Offer Workplace Safety Posters

The MHA continues to offer workplace safety posters to MHA members at no cost to help hospitals comply with the requirement from Public Acts 271 and 272 of 2023 that hospitals display signage informing individuals they …

MDHHS Introduces SUD Program Enhancements and New Mapping Tool

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently developed improvements to current substance use disorder (SUD) programs and a new SUD mapping tool to identify SUD treatment service locations throughout the state, with …

MHA Rounds image of Brian PetersMHA CEO Report — Lame Duck is Here

The balance of power at both the state and federal levels will change in 2025. Yet lawmakers still have several weeks remaining, a period we refer to as lame duck where a number of elected officials …

Keckley Report

Trump Healthcare 2.0: The Laundry List of Disruption Targets

“The incoming Trump administration is committed to cutting government waste and reducing regulation. That pledge puts the U.S. healthcare industry in the crosshairs for budget cuts and heightened attention. It’s also a high-profile industry that’s ripe for disruption.

Healthcare is the economy’s biggest private-sector employer (18.3 million) and accounts for 17.3% of the GDP and 28% of total federal spending. Since 2008, annual increases for prescription drugs, hospitals and physician services have increased faster than the “All Items” index widening every year. From 2012 to 2022, the average annual growth rate was 4.2% for physician services, 4.4% for hospital care, 4.7% for prescription drugs and 5.0% for insurers who experienced the highest volatility of the four. …

The laundry list for Trump Healthcare 2.0 disruption is long. The public expects changes. Responding in business-as-usual fashion—especially thru well-worn trade association advocacy pronouncements– is short-sighted. It’s time to take a fresh look starting with a mirror.”

Paul Keckley, Dec. 2, 2024

News to Know

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recently announced the 2025 application period for the Michigan State Loan Repayment Program (MSLRP).

MHA CEO Brian PetersMHA in the News

MHA executives appeared on WJR 760 AM during the weeks of Nov. 25 and Dec. 2 to discuss the association’s opposition to government mandated nurse staffing ratios. MHA CEO Brian Peters appeared on Focus with …

Peters Appears in CNN & Crain’s Stories

Issues in Healthcare, MHA In The News, Top Issues - Healthcare

MHA CEO Brian PetersThe MHA received media coverage the week of Feb. 26 that includes quotes from MHA CEO Brian Peters appearing in stories by CNN and Crain’s.

CNN published an article Feb. 26 on the Michigan economy and aging population. Included in the story is a section on healthcare emerging as the state’s largest private sector employer. The section highlights how the aging population is leading to an increased need for healthcare services and references the 27,000 job openings in Michigan hospitals.

“Those folks who are headed off to their retirement days, they are the ones who demand more health care services,” said Peters.

Crain’s Detroit Business reported on the Change Healthcare cyberattack in a story published Feb. 29. The story looks at how market consolidation and the growing need for data sharing has led to higher cybersecurity risks for healthcare organizations. Peters mentions how healthcare is the top target for cybercriminals and explains the challenges faced by hospitals.

“These continued cybersecurity challenges stem from the complex and interconnected nature of hospital information technology systems, which often require integration with external software and hardware to support clinical operations, patient care and administrative functions,” said Peters. “Furthermore, hospitals must navigate a regulatory landscape that demands compliance with health information sharing, privacy and security laws, making the management of third-party risks a critical, yet challenging, aspect of their cybersecurity strategy.”

Crain’s Grand Rapids also published an article Feb. 26 on new state laws that increase the penalties for violence committed against healthcare workers or volunteers. The story looks at the increased rates of violence committed against healthcare workers and the issues it creates for workplace safety, recruitment and retention.

“It is flat out inappropriate to physically attack a healthcare employee and there are going to be consequences if and when it happens,” said Peters. “It’s a signal that we’re not going to tolerate this anymore.”

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

MHA Monday Report Feb. 26, 2024

Monday Report
MHA Monday Report

Workplace Safety Posters Available

The MHA has new, updated signage available for MHA members to order at no cost to help hospitals comply with the requirement from Public Acts 271 and 272 of 2023 that hospitals display signage informing …

 

Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Medical Assistant and Nurse Receive Q1 MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award

The Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) Keystone Center celebrated Joni Hunter, MA, and Dorothy Zsenyuk, RN, at Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Nurse Midwives Feb. 8 as Speak-up! Award recipients. The quarterly MHA Keystone …

MHA Podcast Explores Impact of Medical Mistrust Among Black Americans

The MHA released a new episode of the MiCare Champion Cast exploring the impact medical mistrust has on health outcomes for Black Americans featuring Lynn Todman, PhD, vice president of Health Equity and Community Partnerships …

The Keckley Report

Paul KeckleyThe Four Conflicts that Hospitals Must Resolve in 2024

If you’re a U.S. health industry watcher, it would appear the $4.5 trillion system is under fire at every corner. Pressures to lower costs, increase accessibility and affordability to all populations, disclose prices and demonstrate value are hitting every sector. Complicating matters, state and federal legislators are challenging ‘business as usual’ seeking ways to spend tax dollars more wisely with surprisingly strong bipartisan support on many issues. No sector faces these challenges more intensely than hospitals. …

Nonetheless, conflict resolution on these issues must be pursued if hospitals are to be effective, affordable and accessible contributors and/or hubs for community health systems in the future. The risks of inaction for society, the communities served and the 5.48 million (NAICS Bureau of Labor 622) employed in the sector cannot be overstated. The likelihood they can be resolved without the addition of new voices and fresh solutions is unlikely.”

Paul Keckley, Feb. 19, 2024

News to Know

  • Registration is open for the 2024 MHA Human Resources Conference, scheduled for March 5, 2024 at the ACH Hotel Marriott University Area, Lansing.
  • MHA Endorsed Business Partner CommerceHealthcare® recently published an annual report on 2024 Healthcare Finance Trends presenting a set of themes that capture the positive momentum, significant challenges and major strategies for provider organizations in 2024 and beyond.
  • The Joint Commission is hosting a webinar March 26 from 1 to 2:15 p.m. EST to review recent updates to Michigan regulations for Cardiac Systems of Care (STEMI Referring and STEMI Receiving).

MHA CEO Brian PetersMHA in the News

Crain’s Grand Rapids published a story Feb. 22 about the decision by the Kalamazoo-based cooperative air ambulance program between Bronson Healthcare and Ascension Borgess Hospital to end flights later this year. MHA CEO Brian Peters …

Workplace Safety Posters Available

Member News

The MHA has new, updated signage available for MHA members to order at no cost to help hospitals comply with the requirement from Public Acts 271 and 272 of 2023 that hospitals display signage informing individuals they may be subject to higher financial penalties if they assault a healthcare worker or volunteer. With the help of MHA Endorsed Business Partner AMN Healthcare Language Services, translated versions in Spanish and Arabic are also now available. The deadline to have signage posted is March 5, 2024.

Members are asked to coordinate orders within a hospital and/or health system to increase the efficiency of the ordering process and printing. Larger, bulk orders are preferred compared to multiple orders from separate departments within the same organization.

As a reminder, the MHA supported the legislation signed into law by Gov. Whitmer last December as a positive step towards ensuring violence against healthcare workers is not tolerated. The MHA continues to work on more opportunities to protect healthcare workers from violence in the workplace and improving the recruitment, retention and training of healthcare workers.

Members with questions about ordering workplace posters may contact John Karasinski at the MHA. Members with questions about the new laws and legislative activity should contact Adam Carlson or Elizabeth Kutter at the MHA. Members interested in learning more about AMN Language Services should contact Eric Glaser, regional sales director.