Somewhere around 57% of healthcare systems in the United States, including Munson Healthcare (MHC), are nonprofit organizations, but what does that mean? It means we provide programs that enhance the health of our communities and ensure resources are in place to help patients with financial challenges receive the care they need. It also means that dollars generated by the system are reinvested in the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve in a variety of ways.
In fact, in 2022 alone, Munson Healthcare invested more than $171 million in community benefit — which includes charity, discounted and unreimbursed health care services as well as community health programs, education and partnerships. Much of these funds are directed to our area’s greatest needs.
MHC participates in a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years to prioritize using health-related data from a number of different sources. The most recent CHNA in 2022 identified four priorities that include: Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders; Safe, Affordable and Accessible Housing; Access to Healthcare and Chronic Disease. Community health programs are tailored to address one or more of the most prominent issues impacting northern Michigan.
I wanted to share a few important highlights of our community benefit programs and what we’re doing right now to address those needs in our community:
Ask-a-Nurse Hotline: This free service offered by Munson Healthcare has received more than 81,000 calls and is expanding access to care, available daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (231-935-0951). Staffed by registered nurses, patients are able to get answers to their general health questions and are provided directions to the most appropriate resource whether primary care, an emergency room, urgent care or virtual urgent care.Healthy Futures: The longest standing of our accessibility initiatives, this partnership between Munson Healthcare and local health departments provides 1:1 support to new parents for breastfeeding, safety, sleep and more. The program is available to all, and provides support at home after birth, newsletters, ongoing education and was expanded last year to include blood pressure checks for birthing people to prevent postpartum complications.Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD): Resources for the treatment of substance use disorder continue to be in great demand in Traverse City and across the region. MOUD is an approach to treatment that combines the use of FDA-approved drugs with counseling and behavioral therapies for people diagnosed with Opioid Use Disorder. Munson Healthcare is implementing an MOUD program that is bringing greater continuity across the service area.This foundational work has enabled teams to initiate treatment in emergency departments and expanded the network of providers to transition care for these patients to a primary care setting. Also, 2.5 tons of unused medications are collected annually in public MedSafe containers, and Narcan kits are available across the system.Street Medicine: There may be no effort that touches on more of our community health needs priorities than the Street Medicine partnership between Munson Healthcare led by Dr. David Klee, Traverse Health Clinic, and Goodwill Northern Michigan. The life expectancy of those experiencing homelessness may be reduced by up to 30 years. The Street Medicine collaboration began during the pandemic and has made more than 430 patient visits to treat people where they are: in our communities, neighborhoods, the woods and local community centers. Last year’s addition of a mobile unit with Electronic Medical Record is helping to better monitor the health of these patients. Dr. David Klee and Ryan Hannon, Goodwill Northern Michigan Community Engagement officer, will share their best practices from the past three years at a conference on Street Medicine in London, England next month.
For more than 100 years, we’ve been committed to providing high-quality care in northern Michigan. For us, it’s about improving lives every day: in big ways like saving a life or bringing a little soul into this world, but it’s also about the small things like a phone call to a nurse for healthcare advice or a mobile Street Medicine stop to treat a patient or a preventative health program assessment.
We’re proud that these small acts are having big impact, improving the lives of our families, friends and neighbors.
To learn more about Community Health Needs Assessment action plans and efforts, go to munsonhealthcare.org/chna.