As a crisis mounts that kills 3,000 per year, Michigan’s counties have been slow to distribute tens of millions of dollars in funds meant to fight the opioid crisis.
Robin Erb
Robin Erb covers a range of health issues in Michigan, including the industry of aging and the issues facing older residents in Michigan, a state that is aging faster than most others. She joined Bridge in 2019 and has led investigations that tracked millions of dollars in opioid settlement money and explored severe worker shortages in health care that threaten lives and the state's economy. She chronicled the shock and grief of Michigan families in COVID’s wake, as well as state policy decisions and the triumphs of medical breakthroughs. Robin previously spent six years covering health at the Detroit Free Press, documenting the battle over, and the eventual passage of, the Affordable Care Act and Michigan's Medicaid expansion. She studied communications and political science at Miami University and has a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Lourdes University (Toledo, Ohio). She and her husband raised two wonderful children — but have failed miserably at training their Beagle-Bassets — in southeast Michigan. Reach her at rerb@bridgemi.com.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Cyberattack on Ascension Michigan, other sites, began with ‘honest mistake’
A person in an Ascension system ‘accidentally downloaded a malicious file that they thought was legitimate,’ the hospital system reported in its latest update.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
How many abortions in Michigan? The state can’t say under new law
Michigan’s 45-plus year history of annually publishing abortion statistics is ending under a law passed last year.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Ascension Michigan pharmacies can fill drug scripts now, data crisis lingers
The behemoth Catholic hospital chain has been forced to pivot from computers to paperwork at times after a cyberattack breached its systems May 8. Warned of longer wait times, patients are expected to keep their appointments unless otherwise directed.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
One of Michigan’s top doctors hid a secret from everyone. His drug addiction
As concerns increase about doctors using drugs, the chair of the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians is sharing his story of abuse, offering hope to fellow doctors.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Nation’s third human bird flu case detected in Michigan
The national outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has killed nearly 100 million chickens and infected 67 cattle herds across the nation.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
A push to legalize drug test strips, protect 'harm reduction' tactics in MI
Michigan has made ‘harm reduction’ a focus in spending its opioid settlement funds. Two possible law changes could move that effort forward, better protecting needle-access programs and decriminalizing drug test strips.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan taps opioid funds for tiny drug victims — babies in withdrawal
For decades, newborns whose moms who took illicit or prescribed drugs have been whisked away to hospital nurseries or neonatal intensive care units for clinical care. But ‘rooming in’ together and skin-to-skin contact could be better for Mom, Baby and taxpayers.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan farmworker is 2nd known human case of bird flu in nation this year
A Michigan dairy worker, like the Texas dairy worker earlier this year, reported just one symptom: an eye infection.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
As Michigan becomes abortion destination, foes and advocates expand services
Michigan’s pregnancy crisis centers, dismissed as ‘fake clinics’ by some, say they are increasing clinic staff and equipment and uniting for a stronger voice. Abortion providers are expanding services, too.
