Inside Southeast Michigan’s Healthcare Turnover Crisis: New Reports Offer Answers

Michigan Health Council (MHC) is pleased to announce the release of two new reports offering timely insights into healthcare retention and turnover in Southeast Michigan, a region facing some of the highest turnover rates in the state.

At a moment when healthcare organizations continue to navigate persistent workforce shortages, burnout, and shifting labor dynamics, understanding why workers stay or leave has never been more essential. To better illuminate these challenges, MHC conducted an in-depth regional survey and a series of focus groups with frontline healthcare workers across Southeast Michigan. These efforts were designed to capture firsthand experiences, assess organizational strengths and pain points, and highlight opportunities to strengthen retention strategies.

The newly released reports include:

1. Focus Group–Based Assessment: This report synthesizes findings from 13 focus groups across four major health systems: Trinity Health, Henry Ford Health System (HFHS), Corewell Health, and McLaren/Karmanos. Participants shared candid perspectives about workplace culture, staffing pressures, career mobility, and the supports they need to stay and thrive in their roles. Their insights reveal important opportunities for investment in retention infrastructure and cultural renewal.

2. Regional Healthcare Retention & Turnover Survey: Complementing the focus group analysis, this survey provides a quantitative snapshot of turnover trends and retention drivers among healthcare workers earning below the Michigan median wage. This data sheds light on the complex factors shaping the region’s workforce and the actions organizations can take to stabilize and support it.

Together, these reports offer a comprehensive view of the realities facing Southeast Michigan’s healthcare workforce and the solutions that can make a meaningful difference.

Both reports are now available at mhc.org/semi-healthcare-retention.