“On the hospital side, things are looking pretty good for Grand Rapids compared to the last report. We’ve hit a record low in terms of admissions per capita.”
Daniel Montanera is an economics faculty member at GVSU’s Seidman College of Business. He says the latest hospital admissions rate was about 80 patients for every 1,000 Grand Rapids residents, compared to 105 admissions in similar-sized cities.
“Grand Rapids has always been a fairly healthy region in terms of underlining risk factors, so that’s one thing.”
Another trend shows that while college enrollment nationally has decreased, there is an increase in the number of health care degrees. Economics faculty member Cody Kirby explains.
“So, if we look at enrollment in PA programs and nursing programs, those are up by 6% just over the last year.
Kirby notes several health risk factors in West Michigan, including a rise in depression since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly due in part to a rise in alcohol consumption and binge drinking.
“We see that depression among our males and our non-white residents is through the roof, and that’s pretty alarming.”
Both educators say Grand Rapids overall remains a health care anomaly, with hospital admissions decreasing while the number of health care personnel increases, showing the city is attracting the talent needed to stay ahead of demand.
