On May 18, the Minnesota Senate approved an exemption to its controversial Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act for one health system: Rochester-based Mayo Clinic.
That decision came after the health system claimed it would pull billions of dollars in investments out of state if the bill became law.
The act, now preparing to advance to a final legislative vote, would require hospitals to establish staffing committees and implement nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Such measures are usually rejected by hospital leadership, yet backed by nurses and unions. However, when it comes to special treatment for Mayo Clinic, some industry — and legislative — leaders are united in discontent.
Here's what eight leaders had to say about the recent pass for Mayo:
1. Dave Senjem. Retired environmental affairs officer at Mayo Clinic, former Minnesota state senator and current commissioner of Olmsted County, which encompasses Rochester: "[Mayo Clinic] exists to be the best healthcare center in the world — and by all accounts they are — and in terms of getting to that status, they have to manage their own organization," Mr. Senjem told NBC affiliate KARE11. "The idea that a legislative body would begin to suggest to them how to run nursing staff or what their fee structure should be, is frankly out of reach in terms of acceptability."
"Just about everything you see when you drive into Rochester is about Mayo Clinic."
2. Mary Turner, RN. President of the Minnesota Nurses Association: “Our hearts break for the nurses at Mayo Clinic Health System who will be denied a voice in the process of safe staffing by their own corporate executives," Ms. Turner said in a news release from the MNA. "It is disheartening and disappointing that Mayo executives chose to issue an anti-democratic ultimatum and walk away from the better patient care conditions and nurse retention this bill will offer at more than 90 percent of Minnesota hospitals. To the nurses and patients at Mayo, please know: The brave nurses of MNA fought for you, while Mayo executives fought to silence, sideline, and subvert your voice, your concerns, and your well-being."
3. Amy Williams, MD. Executive dean of practice and chair of Mayo's clinical practice committee: "Mayo continues to advocate for a policy-based, data-driven approach that supports an alternative path to compliance for all hospitals and health systems, including Mayo Clinic Rochester and Mayo Clinic Health System locations, that use an acuity tool incorporating nurse input and patient needs. We believe any hospital that meets this high standard should be able to pursue this pathway. We encourage lawmakers to adopt this approach that reflects policies focused on patients and staff."
4. Sen. Erin Murphy. Lead author of the bill: "The governor has said that … from his perspective … it's better for Mayo to be carved out. I don't agree, but I want, for the 90 percent of hospitals that are going to benefit from this legislation, I want for us to proceed."
5. Rahul Koranne, MD. CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association: "The fact that there is an alternative being considered validates the point that the underlying bill has issues. If there's an alternative available to one health system, that must be available to all."
6. Trish Richardson MSN, RN. President-elect of the North Carolina Nurses Association: "What will happen next? ANY and ALL health systems, who have 'Mayo-sized' power and influence, will use this same strategy to evade the law," Ms. Richardson wrote in a LinkedIn post. "What about #healthsystems that don't have the resources to fight? Their voices will not be heard and instead be required to adhere to the letter of the law."
7. Rebecca Love, MSN, RN. Chief clinical officer of IntelyCare and president emeritus of the Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs and Leaders: "This is the wrong action and shame on #Mayo — they know exactly that this will make things worse, not better, for #patients," Ms. Love wrote in a LinkedIn post. "As long as nurses remain just a cost to healthcare systems, we will always see systems fight needing to staff nurses at ratios that nurses feel safe they can deliver care."
8. Kellie Lease Stecher, MD. OB-GYN and co-founder of Patient Care Heroes: "How do we expect other systems to follow legislation that Mayo won't?" Dr. Stecher wrote in a LinkedIn post. "Mayo didn't want to spend the money, why should Fairview?"