Michigan emergency department visits are up 43 percent, thanks in part to an avalanche of sick people who delayed medical care amid COVID. Some patients wait in hallways for days. Others lose their beds when even sicker patients arrive.
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.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Studies show meth addicts respond to $2 reward. What’s stopping Michigan?
A California nonprofit has found that modest financial rewards for clean urine tests can help break the chain of meth addiction. But the treatment is barely being replicated in Michigan, in part because insurers are not yet on board.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Lethal, highly addictive methamphetamine again stalking rural Michigan
Law enforcement and treatment experts chart a rising toll from meth, from overdose deaths to families ripped apart. Cheaper and more pure versions now come from Mexican labs, and there are not enough treatment resources in rural counties.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Education levels drive Michigan vaccines. What’s rate in your neighborhood?
Bridge analyzed vaccination rates in thousands of census tracts and found a strong correlation with education levels — even in Republican neighborhoods. Use these map to determine the rate in your area.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
400 workers out, 1,900 exempt after Henry Ford COVID vaccine mandate
The Detroit-based hospital system made the numbers public after a deadline passed for staff to get vaccinated. A dozen Michigan health systems were surveyed on staff vaccine rates, offering varying levels of transparency.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Science says school masks work. Public opinion is another issue in Michigan
Gretchen Whitmer is hardly alone among governors in resisting calls for statewide mandate. That’s partly because Michigan’s case rates are relatively low, but also because of deeply divided opinions on the issue.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Whitmer administration’s top COVID doc says she steps away with no regrets
The most memorable moment in state government for Dr. Joneigh Khaldun? A loading dock in Ann Arbor.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Getting COVID tested in Michigan was supposed to be easier by now. It isn’t.
A surge in new cases means more demand for testing. But a shortage of home tests and health workers means a scramble for consumers who seek rapid tests to return to work or school, or simply find reassurance.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan top doc Khaldun leaves state COVID role for private sector
Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, among the most visible faces of Michigan’s COVID-19 response, will leave the job next Thursday. Her departure comes as health officials across the state seek greater protection against threats from the public.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Pfizer COVID vaccine booster approved for Michiganders. Now what?
Mass vaccination clinics long ago folded up, and hospitals are short-staffed now. Getting a booster is for now likely easier at a local pharmacy or doctor’s office. We break down who is eligible for a Pfizer booster.