The Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) was invited to present before the House Oversight Subcommittee on Public Health and Food Security on April 15, 2025. The hearing agenda was Physician and Health Professional Burnout in Michigan and Understanding the Causes and Exploring Solutions to Strengthen the Workforce. MSMS brought together a powerful lineup of experts to shed light on this increasingly urgent issue and several of the contributing root causes.
Elevating Physician Voices: A Diverse and Impactful Panel
The MSMS panel of speakers featured a broad spectrum of experience and perspectives. MSMS President Mark Komorowski, MD, opened the hearing by emphasizing the Society’s commitment to fostering a healthier, more sustainable workforce. Noting that physician burnout is not the result of a single cause, but rather the product of many compounding pressures, Doctor Komorowski envisioned a future of “policies and systems [that] support physicians not just as providers, but as people.”
Bobby Mukkamala, MD, President-Elect of the American Medical Association, provided a national context for burnout trends, linking them to systemic issues such as increasing administrative loads and inadequate support for healthcare professionals. His testimony laid the groundwork for understanding burnout not as a personal failure but as a structural issue.
Nick Bara, a third-year medical student, gave a sobering account of how financial pressures—including rising student debt and long training timelines—weigh heavily on medical students and impact decisions about specialty selection and practice location. Unfortunately, these decisions often drive the next generation of physicians away from primary care and underserved communities in Michigan. His story illustrated how burnout begins long before a physician sees their first patient.
Kai Anderson, MD, and Stefanie Simmons, MD, delved deeper into mental health concerns, highlighting the stigma that still surrounds physicians seeking care and the tragic consequences when burnout is left unaddressed. Doctor Anderson made the point that unique stressors felt by physicians are compounded by the fact that seeking help can threaten a medical license, and, ultimately, a career. Doctor Simmons, now Chief Medical Officer of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, urged lawmakers to consider policy solutions that remove barriers to mental health support for physicians.
Regulatory Burdens Under Scrutiny: CME Requirements and Licensing Sanctions
In a particularly compelling segment, regulatory requirements came under sharp review. Rebecca Daniel, MD, criticized Michigan’s Continuing Medical Education (CME) mandates as the most burdensome in the nation without evidence that such volume improves patient outcomes. She argued for aligning Michigan’s standards with national averages and reforming the rigid penalty structures that accompany non-compliance.
Kathleen Westfall, Esq., offered a rare and vital perspective from the legal front lines. As a partner at Kerr Russell and legal counsel to MSMS, Ms. Westfall detailed the far-reaching consequences of disciplinary actions issued by the Bureau of Professional Licensing (LARA). Citing a Public Citizen report that ranked Michigan first in the nation for serious disciplinary actions against physicians, Ms. Westfall painted a picture of a system that too often punishes minor administrative violations with career-altering sanctions. She concluded by recommending a series of reforms including the introduction of non-disciplinary corrective actions for administrative violations and improved transparency throughout the disciplinary process.
Charting a Path Forward: Strengthening Michigan’s Workforce
In the hearing’s closing segment, Dennis Ramus, MD, delivered a forward-looking call to action. Doctor Ramus emphasized that physician burnout and workforce shortages are inseparable. Nearly 30 percent of Michigan’s physicians are over 60, and despite the state’s strong educational infrastructure, it ranks only 26th in retention. Michigan is effectively exporting doctors at a time when it desperately needs to keep them.
Doctor Ramus shared that MSMS’ Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Michigan’s Physician Workforce Needs, which is comprised of numerous partner organizations, is developing a multi-pronged strategy that is actionable and measurable. He concluded with a sense of urgency and optimism, “This is a pivotal moment. The physician shortage is not just a workforce issue, it is a public health emergency in the making. The solutions are within reach, and we stand ready to partner with the Legislature to make them real.”
A Receptive Audience: Lawmakers Show Interest in Solutions
MSMS deeply appreciates the genuine interest shown by members of the House Oversight Subcommittee, including Chair Matthew Bierlein, to not only understand the issues facing Michigan’s healthcare workforce, but to also seek real solutions. Legislators engaged with speakers throughout the hearing and acknowledged the urgent need to reduce regulatory burdens and strengthen the sustainability of our physician workforce.
Next Steps: Keeping Up the Momentum
MSMS appreciated the opportunity to elevate the concerns and voices of Michigan’s physician through the impactful testimony of our panel of experts. We are deeply grateful to all of the speakers who took time from their busy schedules to advocate for the health and well-being of their colleagues and patients. As the momentum for action builds, MSMS is actively engaging with legislators and other interested parties to begin crafting legislation aimed at implementing many of the reforms discussed during the hearing. By addressing the root causes of burnout and modernizing outdated regulations, Michigan can not only retain its world-class talent—it can lead the nation in creating a healthcare system where both physicians and patients thrive. To watch the Subcommittee meeting, click here.