Congresswoman applauds news that federal health workers will arrive on-site to alleviate staffing shortages at Sparrow Hospital
LANSING, Mich. –– U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) released the following statement in response to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' announcement that additional federal assistance will be brought to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing to alleviate staffing shortages amid the latest COVID-19 wave:
"Since December, I've heard directly from our doctors and nurses at Sparrow about how dire the COVID situation is and the desperate need for more staff. Our team has been working hard behind the scenes with the Governor's Office, the White House, and the Department of Defense to get additional boots on the ground to help manage the immense strain on our health workers. While we were encouraged to see 6 Michigan National Guardsmen arrive at the hospital a few weeks back, I'm thrilled that federal, active duty help is on the way. The doctors, nurses, and hospital staff across the 8th District who have been on the frontlines of this battle are exhausted and trying to keep our community institutions afloat. With the help of this federal team, I hope we can turn a corner for them and their families. The other way to help both our hospitals and schools is for the Michigan State Senate to finally pass a spending plan for the $4B in COVID relief they're currently sitting on. If you want to keep our communities open, get them the relief they need."
The federal government will send up to a 25-person medical team to support doctors and nurses treating COVID-19 patients at Sparrow Hospital. The team is set to begin working on February 7.
Slotkin – who has visited many of the 8th District's hospitals in recent months and was at Sparrow just last week – has been advocating for additional federal help for local hospitals and raising awareness around the struggle Michigan's health workers are facing as case numbers have surged in recent weeks.
"We are grateful for this assistance for our incredible Sparrow caregivers, who have been tirelessly protecting the community since this pandemic began," said James F. Dover, Sparrow Health System president and CEO. "We want to thank Governor Whitmer and the state for its help and especially Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, who has been steadfast in advocating for boots-on-the-ground support for Sparrow in combating the huge surge of COVID cases among both patients and our caregivers."
Original source can be found here.
