NOVI, Mich., April 7, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Trinity Health today announced that Tina Weatherwax Grant, a nine-year veteran of the Michigan legislature and an Ingham County Commissioner, will become its new Director of State Advocacy representing the Catholic health organization's 12 Michigan-based member hospital systems, home health and long-term care services on legislative and regulatory issues. She will begin her new responsibilities on May 2.
In this newly created position, Grant will develop, implement, and manage legislative and regulatory initiatives for Trinity Health on Michigan issues. She will work closely with hospital leaders to establish policy positions, advance policy priorities, and strengthen advocacy successes.
"Tina will help us strengthen our voice and demonstrate leadership for improved health care in Michigan, especially on such issues as access to care, clinical quality, patient safety, information technology, and care for low-income populations," said Tim Eckels, Vice President, Public Policy, Trinity Health.
Trinity Health, the fourth-largest Catholic health system with 44 owned or managed acute-care hospitals across the U.S., has a significant presence in Michigan. Across the state, Trinity Health operates 12 acute care hospitals accounting for 3,336 licensed beds, nine nursing homes, and 18 senior housing facilities. Statewide, Trinity Health employs 21,064 full-time employees with a payroll of $1 billion.
Trinity Health has had advocacy staff devoted to federal and state issues in the past, but the exclusive focus of Grant's new position on state issues is a first for the national health system.
"We're excited to have Tina working with our member hospital CEOs and their executive teams as we work together to strengthen our advocacy efforts in Lansing on behalf of patients and communities," said Marsha Casey, President, Michigan Regional Ministries, Trinity Health.
One out of ten hospital patients in Michigan receive care from the following Trinity Health-owned acute-care hospitals:
-- St. Joseph Mercy Health System, Ann Arbor (Garry Faja, CEO) -- St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, Pontiac (Jack Weiner, CEO) -- St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia (David Spivey, CEO) -- St. Joseph's Healthcare, Clinton Township (Barbara Rossmann, CEO) -- Mercy Hospital, Port Huron (Peter Karadjoff, CEO) -- Battle Creek Health System (Pat Garrett, CEO) -- Saint Mary's Health Care, Grand Rapids (Phil McCorkle, CEO) -- Mercy General Health Partners, Muskegon (Roger Spoelman, CEO) -- Mercy Hospital, Cadillac (John MacLeod, CEO) -- Mercy Hospital, Grayling (Stephanie Reimer-Matuzak, CEO)
Trinity Health also owns Trinity Continuing Care Services (Jaclyn Harris, CEO) and Trinity Home Health Services (Grace McCauley, CEO). Joseph R. Swedish is the national health system's President and CEO.
Grant has worked in the Michigan legislature for nine years. Since 2003, she has been the legal and policy advisor in the office of state Rep. Dianne Byrum, D-Onondaga, the Democratic House Leader. She also served as policy director to the House Democratic Caucus.
Prior to that, she was a health and senior citizens policy analyst for the Michigan Senate Democratic Caucus, where she developed policy regarding public, mental and senior health care concerns. She also served as a Regulatory and Legislative Affairs Analyst for a national physician's association in Washington, D.C.
As an Ingham County Commissioner, she has served as Vice-Chair of the Ingham County Human Services Committee, which has oversight of the Health Department and programs that link residents to organized systems of health care, including the county's recently created one-third share health plan.
Grant earned her Bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University and her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law, where she served as Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Medicine and Law.
Based in Novi, Mich., Trinity Health is the country's third largest Catholic healthcare system based on net patient services revenue. Sponsored by Catholic Health Ministries, the system operates 45 hospitals (29 owned, 16 managed), 402 outpatient facilities, numerous long-term care facilities, home health offices and hospice programs, a health care architectural firm, and a physician practice consulting company. Trinity Health also owns and operates Care Choices, a health maintenance organization, and Preferred Choices, a preferred provider organization. Employing 43,900 full-time staff, Trinity Health reported $5.0 billion in unrestricted revenue and more than $438 million in community benefit ministry in fiscal year 2003. Trinity Health received the prestigious National Quality Health Care Award for the year 2004 from the National Committee for Quality Health Care (NCQHC). For more information about Trinity Health, visit www.trinity-health.org.
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