Grand Rapids stands as 'health care anomaly,' according to GVSU faculty researchers

Hospital admissions in greater Grand Rapids are well below state and national averages while the number of hospital personnel has increased, creating what two Grand Valley faculty researchers call a health care anomaly.

Daniel Montanera and Cody Kirby, economics faculty members at the Seidman College of Business, detailed their statistical look at the state of the region's health February 7 during the 16th annual West Michigan Health Care Economic Forecast at the DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health. The event was hosted by GVSU's Kirkhof College of Nursing and Seidman College of Business and sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield/Blue Care Network and Priority Health.

Montanera said the hospital admission rate in Grand Rapids in 2022 (latest figures available) was a record low 80.65 admissions per 1,000 residents, compared to an admission rate of 105.82 in similar-sized cities. He noted that outpatient hospital visits in Grand Rapids and Muskegon decreased by 13 percent in 2022, while benchmark city rates remained steady.

The number of hospital personnel can meet an increase in local demand and their pay also led Grand Rapids to stand out nationally. Kirby said, "Grand Rapids exceeds the national average in inflation-adjusted wage growth, which we know attracts talent."

And while college enrollment nationally has decreased, the researchers noted a 2 percent increase in the number of health care degrees.

Health risk factors in the region (Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon and Allegan (KOMA) counties) compared to Detroit are noted below with 2023 as latest reporting year.

• Depression is up by 23% in KOMA since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to 33% in Detroit.
• There is a decline in cigarette smokers in both KOMA and Detroit, yet e-cigarette use has increased by 45% in KOMA since the start of the pandemic; Detroit saw a similar trend.
• KOMA obesity decreased from 35 to 34%, Detroit increased from 34 to 36%.

More information about the 2025 Health Check report is online.