Emergency room staff at Ascension St. John Hospital, including unionized doctors and mid-level providers, are edging closer to a strike after six months of fruitless negotiations with St. John Emergency Services and TeamHealth, a management and staffing firm. According to ClickOnDetroit, the workers, frustrated by staffing levels, are considering a strike vote which "could significantly disrupt patient care."
As reported by The Detroit News, Dr. Michelle Wiener, a representative of the Greater Detroit Association of Emergency Physicians, outlined the stakes of the negotiation, "We are trying to stay optimistic that an agreement can be reached," she said. Despite the optimism, the concern remains that without "drastic changes to their negotiating tactics," a strike could be unavoidable.
The union, which was formed last summer, is pushing for conditions that ensure patient care and physician safety, including recommended safe staffing ratios, security commitments, and pay parity, as well as benefits like sick pay. Dr. Wiener also highlighted substantial wait times for patients, citing 10-15 hour waits, with "50 people sitting in the Emergency Room waiting area looking for medical care", per The Detroit News.
Conversely, TeamHealth spokesman Josh Hopson refuted these claims, stating that "TeamHealth offers competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits" and that "the staffing levels are higher than published medians for comparable emergency rooms across the country," according to The Detroit News. He further emphasized that median "door to doctor" wait times had decreased from 25 minutes in 2023 to 17 minutes in 2024. As reported by the union, long wait times and staffing shortfalls have been concerns that escalated over the years, especially since TeamHealth's involvement in 2015.
Front-line workers are feeling the pressure of the staffing crisis as they navigate through the demands of one of the most crucial areas of the hospital. In a statement obtained by CBS News Detroit, Dr. John Bahling expressed the concern, "We're a huge stroke center, cardiovascular center, trauma center, but we are worried that we are about to be unable to meet some of those national standards if current practices continue." With the threat of a strike looming over Ascension St. John, the community's help is being sought through a website created by the union members, as they push for changes to address their concerns.
