Michigan could soon allow licensed health care personnel from out of state to temporarily work in hospitals and clinics under a bill in the state Senate.
Republican Senator Curt VanderWall is a bill sponsor who also chairs the Senate Health Policy and Human Services Committee. He says the COVID-19 pandemic has created a crisis in Michigan hospitals that’s affecting COVID and non-COVID patients. He says it’s also led to worker burnout.
“There isn’t a hospital system that isn’t short-staffed right now, and we just need to make sure that we’re taking care of the folks that are not feeling well and are not doing well.”
VanderWall says he hopes to have bills on the governor’s desk before the Legislature’s winter break. If not, he says addressing the healthcare worker shortage will be a top priority at the beginning of 2022.