Michigan has taken scores of in-patient beds offline since April because it can’t hire enough staff to care for patients. State-run facilities treat the most severely ill patients, making the job draining and at times perilous.
Michigan Health Watch
In-depth reporting on the intersection between public policy and important health topics ‒ such as insurance coverage, hospital admissions, opioid abuse, access to care, medical research and the business of health care ‒ that impact nearly every Michigan resident.
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Michigan may regulate sale of kratom, an herbal mix linked to overdoses
The herbal supplement lauded by some as a safe pain reliever and pick-me-up has been linked to overdose deaths and other ills.
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Three months into monkeypox, a pleasant surprise in Michigan
The spread of monkeypox cases has slowed dramatically in Michigan. Health experts say — tentatively — that a ‘win’ is within reach.
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Michigan COVID super-dodgers: Lucky genetics or just plain lucky?
COVID’s tendency to hopscotch through communities — killing some and leaving others unscathed — has baffled scientists and likely left some Michiganders feeling invincible. Researchers search for clues.
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Michigan bill intended to shorten ER waits for youth in mental health crisis
In House testimony Thursday, backers argued that the bill, which applies to all patients in crisis, will likely most help children and teens, who sometimes waited in ERs for weeks during the pandemic to get the mental health care they needed.
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Sewer poop: it’s not just for COVID testing anymore
Federal funds helped Michigan create wastewater surveillance teams to test human waste and anticipate COVID outbreaks. Researchers are now expanding testing to other diseases, from monkeypox to polio.
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Gretchen Whitmer wants more Michigan pharmacists to prescribe birth control
With abortion access threatened, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is taking steps to ensure easier access to reproductive health. That includes making it easier for Michigan pharmacists to directly prescribe birth control.
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Michigan COVID booster appointments filling up. How to get yours.
The possibility of a fall COVID surge and concerns about a “nasty” flu season might be fueling an early eagerness among some residents for the omicron-tailored COVID booster, experts said.
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Should you get a flu shot and COVID booster at the same time?
After two years of quiet, the flu is expected to make a comeback this season. The Biden administration suggests people get a flu shot at the same time as the new COVID booster. Michigan health experts weigh in on timing the flu shot.
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After abortion, sex education may be Michigan’s next cultural battleground
Michigan doesn’t require sex ed, so what is taught — and what isn’t — can vary sharply by local school district. Advocates say uncertainty around abortion access in Michigan makes comprehensive sex education more important than ever.