As Michigan nears the end of more than a decade of federal oversight, two people credited with helping transform the troubled system recently left office, one of them under mysterious circumstances.
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
How do I get a COVID vaccine in Michigan? Tips to boost chances for seniors
Two months since Michigan administered the first shot, the pace of vaccines is accelerating, but frustrations remain. Here are some strategies to ensure seniors can get a shot.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Five ways to open Michigan nursing homes for visits during COVID
A few policy tweaks could help more Michigan nursing homes safely reopen to visitors during the pandemic. Loved ones can also play a role by asking the right questions.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Hugging stations: How some Michigan nursing homes fight despair amid COVID
Senior care facilities across much of Michigan can now resume indoor visits, yet few appear to be doing so. We highlight places applying DIY creativity to bring lonely residents face to face with those they love.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan sending COVID vaccines to low-income clinics to improve equity
In addition, Michigan health officials say the state will provide hard-to-get coronavirus vaccines to health providers who “are removing barriers to access” for the most vulnerable, who are often left behind by the healthcare system
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Despite disparities, Michigan is not gathering race data on COVID vaccines
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vowed to combat racial disparities as the pandemic tore through Michigan last year. A member of her COVID task force calls the state’s failure to collect racial data “almost criminal.” State officials say they’re working on it.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Game on. Michigan contact sports may resume Monday as COVID cases wane.
As the state’s Republican-run Legislature tries again to rein in the Whitmer administration’s pandemic authority, the governor said that encouraging trends in efforts to contain COVID-19 will allow even indoor sports to resume — with some cautions.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
As Michigan scrambles for COVID vaccines, what to do about line cutters
With many older residents still unable to get appointments, health officials are wrestling with the ethical gray areas of vaccine distribution.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan Dominican Sisters find ‘grace to carry forth’ as 9 die of COVID
The vaccine was too late for the Adrian Dominican Sisters who died this month. Yet Sister Patricia Siemen, an attorney, activist and now Prioress of the order, said COVID can teach us about tenderness and love.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan getting better at vaccine distribution. It’s still not good enough.
After a rocky launch, Michigan now ranks 20th among states in vaccine distribution. But frustration remains because some counties appear to do better than others and demand far outpaces supply.