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.

 

Headline Roundup: Healthcare Workforce Sustainability

MHA CEO Brian Peters Appears on Michigan Business Beat

The MHA responded to several media requests the weeks of Aug. 15 and Aug. 22 which focused on different aspects of healthcare workforce sustainability, ranging from emergency department wait times to efforts to address the talent pipeline.

MHA CEO Brian Peters Appears on Michigan Business Beat
MHA CEO Brian Peters appears on Michigan Business Beat.

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

Tuesday, August 23

Monday, August 22

Thursday, August 18

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

Peters Appears Live on WXYZ Detroit

MHA CEO Brian Peters appears Jan. 19 on WXYZ Detroit.

MHA CEO Brian Peters appears Jan. 19 on WXYZ Detroit.

WXYZ Detroit interviewed MHA CEO Brian Peters Jan. 19 during a live segment of 7 UpFront to discuss the impact the COVID-19 surge is having on health systems statewide and their greatest challenges.

Peters shared cautious optimism about the state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations plateauing and the decrease in reported hospitalizations in Southeast Michigan. Peters also focused on continuing workforce sustainability challenges for hospitals.

“Well fortunately, what you’ve heard from Henry Ford Health System is emblematic of what we’re hearing from our number of hospitals throughout the state of Michigan and that is a trend in the right direction after seeing our COVID hospitalization numbers increase day after day after day,” said Peters. “We’re finally trending positively, but are a long ways from being out of the woods at this point in time.”

Media Recap: Price Transparency & Staffing Crisis

The MHA responded to several media requests the week of Oct. 25 that focused on hospital price transparency and the on-going staffing crisis.

The Detroit News published Oct. 24 a story on the staffing shortage impacting EMS workers and touched on the staffing crisis impacting hospitals. MHA CEO Brian Peters is quoted in the story discussing the lack of availability of transport for patients to lower levels of care, resulting in increased cost and strain to the healthcare system.

“They are in crisis mode,” said Peters. “These are not only front-line clinical staff who are in short supply, but also non-clinical staff. … We are struggling on both counts.”

The MHA also provided statements to stories published by Crain’s Detroit Business and WXYZ Detroit on the federal price transparency rule.

“In addition, there is ambiguity within the final rule that has left hospitals to interpret the level and detail of pricing information that should be provided to consumers,” said the statement published by Crain’s. “Hospitals and health systems are working diligently to comply with federal policies in their release of information.”

Members with questions on COVID-19 efforts and resources should contact Ruthanne Sudderth, and any questions regarding media requests should be directed to John Karasinski at the MHA.

MHA Addresses Nurse Staffing Ratio Legislation

MHA CEO Brian Peters

The MHA responded to several media requests the week of July 19 in response to a press release shared by the Michigan Nurses Association advocating for legislation introduced earlier this year that would mandate nurse staffing ratios for hospitals.

The MHA shared a statement from MHA CEO Brian Peters with news organizations. The statement or portions of it were included in stories by WNEM TV5, WXYZ DetroitWWMT-TVWLNS TV-6 and State of Reform.

The full statement appears below:

“The MHA recognizes and appreciates the outstanding work of Michigan nurses, especially during the pandemic. However, we do not support legislation that would institute government-mandated staffing ratios. The one-size-fits-all approach inherent in legislatively mandated decisions impacting clinical care typically fails to recognize the complexity of patient care and the diversity of healthcare environments. Studies have shown that nurse education and training — rather than a one-size-fits-all approach like mandatory nurse staffing ratios — are the most important factors when it comes to ensuring the delivery of high-quality patient care.

The MHA is committed to working with nurses to improve retention rates, address burnout and increase the number of high-quality education programs and resources available to educate both new and current nurse professionals. Through the MHA Keystone Center, we have demonstrated our commitment to working with nurses and other clinicians to improve safety and quality, and establish Michigan hospitals as national leaders in this regard. The MHA believes hospitals need to have the ability to choose the saffing models that best fit the individual needs of their patients and communities.”