COVID-19: The Highest Priority

When COVID-19 arrived in Michigan, hospitals became the front line of defense against the highly contagious and dangerous disease. Despite issues that were out of their control, which included procuring enough personal protective equipment, increasing testing capacity and changing care delivery models, hospitals and their staff persevered to flatten the curve in Michigan.

However, these actions have come at a steep price. Special consideration needs to be made for hospitals and healthcare providers that have been serving on the front lines of the pandemic. Not only are hospitals major employers, but any effort to reinvigorate the overall Michigan economy will fail to succeed if hospitals — which are critical in dealing with the pandemic and ensuring a healthy workforce — are not able to survive and thrive.

Stop Financial Bleeding

In war, everything is done to strengthen defenses, and we must recognize that hospitals are absolutely the front line of defense in this war. Any significant funding cuts made to hospitals through the state budget process will severely hinder our ability to treat all patients and help return our state economy to any degree of normalcy. In short, it is now time to stop the financial bleeding for hospitals, not exacerbate it.

While we’re still far away from eradicating this disease, we have come a long way in our understanding and treatment of COVID-19. During the pandemic, hospitals have increased testing capacity to a daily average of close to 7,000 tests. Of the thousands of Michigan residents admitted to hospitals, more than 16,000 have been discharged safely to their homes.

Support from Elected Officials

As the state budget process resumes, we need the support of our elected officials now more than ever. Hospitals serve our communities 24/7/365 for all their needs, ranging from delivery of a child to the lifesaving abilities of trauma care. We exist to serve and protect the health of our patients and communities, whether related to COVID-19 or not. When it comes to budget priorities, nothing should be higher on the list.

How Hospitals Served their Communities During COVID-19