Chris Holman welcomes back Brian Peters, CEO, of MHA, the Michigan Health & Hospital Association, Lansing, MI

Brian, MHA shared a press release a couple of weeks ago regarding state-mandated staffing rations, Tell us where this issue stands?

Go deeper, Why does MHA believe the bills will negatively impact business owners and the general public?

What brought it about? Was it an idea floated to deal with talent, or something else? 

MHA Issues Statement On Important Auto No-Fault Legislation - tell us more?

That pair of bills aren't the only ones you are following in Lansing, what are some others we should be aware of?

Up to speed: 82% of Michigan Voters Oppose Mandated Hospital Nurse Staffing Ratios

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) released data today illustrating strong public opposition to legislation proposing one-size-fits-all state-mandated hospital nurse-to-patient staffing ratios and hospital survey data on the severe impact of the legislation on access to care for Michiganders.
A survey of 600 Michigan voters conducted by EPIC-MRA in August shows 82% of Michigan voters do not believe the government should mandate one-size-fits-all nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in every hospital, which is currently proposed in Senate Bills 334 – 336 and House Bills 4550 – 4552.

If the bills were to become law, 83% of Michigan voters would be concerned about their ability to receive care, or the wait times, in a Michigan hospital emergency room.

BRIAN PETERS“These survey results are abundantly clear; Michigan voters have no appetite to remove hospital staffing decisions from clinical nursing leaders to implement an arbitrary one-size-fits-all mandate by politicians,” said MHA CEO Brian Peters (left). “Such a decision would be harmful to patients and have dire consequences for healthcare throughout the state. Our hospitals and health systems are focused on proven solutions to address staffing shortages that address the talent pipeline and retain existing nurses.”

The MHA also released the results from a survey of 109 Michigan hospitals conducted in July and August on the potential impact of the proposed legislation. Implementing staffing rations will either require hiring 12,954 registered nurses or the state risks closing up to 5,074 hospital beds to comply. These results follow a survey of 95% of the MHA membership in March 2023 which found Michigan hospitals had 8,438 immediate openings for nurses amid a nationwide nursing shortage. The loss in hospital bed capacity is roughly equivalent to Michigan closing its six largest hospitals determined by licensed hospital beds.

“The significant and devasting impacts these bills can have on patient care and patient access make these the top concern for hospitals and health systems throughout our state,” said Shannon Striebich, MHA Board Chair and Ministry President and Senior Vice President of Operations at Trinity Health Michigan. “We value our nurses and are working diligently to offer recruitment and retention options that do not come at the expense of access to care for Michiganders.”

Hospital staffing decisions and nurse-to-patient ratios are currently made by nursing leaders in each individual hospital based on years of clinical experience and a complex set of variables. These decisions weigh a multitude of factors which vary from each hospital and community and can include the number of patients in a hospital unit, how sick each patient is, the training and experience level of nurses and other members of the care delivery team, available technology and existing hospital data and metrics.

Michigan Business Beat | Brian Peters, MHA - Michigan Health & Hospital Association - Ration Issues

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