The mysterious virus making its way through Asia and Europe has landed on American soil. Sporting events and concert tours are postponed or canceled entirely. Employers encourage their teams to take laptops home for the weekend as enterprises across the United States temporarily shutter campuses.
In a matter of days, grocery store shelves are emptied of hand sanitizer, toilet paper and disinfectant. The following Monday, many have a virtual meeting for the first time.
It’s been almost one year since the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a global pandemic. With vaccinations being administered across the nation, the light at the end of the tunnel is finally visible. For the past 12 months, the Grand Rapids Chamber has listened to your concerns and fielded your questions. We’ve hosted resource calls and virtual town halls, elevated your voice to local and state government, and partnered with community organizations to disseminate emergency funds. We haven’t always had the answers, but we’ve done our very best to find the experts who did.
With health and health care top-of-mind for the business community, this year’s Health Care Summit is more important than ever. During the two-hour virtual event from 8-10 a.m. Tuesday, March 23, we will explore what we learned about health care staffing and capacity, racial disparities and telehealth during the pandemic and examine the evolving landscape of health care policy under the Biden Administration, as well as legal implications employers need to consider as vaccination progresses. Before the event, attendees will have the opportunity to connect during sponsor-hosted coffee chats.
Event topics and panels
Panel: Lessons Learned from COVID-19 and its Impact on the Future of Health Care
Moderated by Andy Johnston, vice president of government affairs, Grand Rapids Chamber
- Matt Biersack, M.D., chief medical officer, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s
- Ronald Grifka, M.D., chief medical officer, Metro Health-University of Michigan Health
- Joshua Kooistra, M.D., chief medical officer, Spectrum Health
Keynote: Health Care Policy in 2021 – The Biden Administration and Lansing
Speaker: To be announced
Update: COVID-19 Vaccine
Molly Williams, director of alliance development, Pfizer
Conversation: Liability, Human Resources and Legal Issues with COVID
Kristen Guinn, shareholder, Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge PC
Keynote: Where We Stand – Vaccine Distribution and Racial Disparities Task Force
Speaker: To be announced
Interested in tuning in? Register today.
Sponsored by: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan