Corewell Health™ West Receives Special Pathogen Center Designation and Funding

Grand Rapids, MI, November 11, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has named Corewell Health West, the new name for Spectrum Health, a Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC), one of only thirteen such centers in the country. The designation recognizes Corewell Health West’s preparedness to accept and treat patients infected with special pathogens such as Ebola and COVID-19 and opens the door for continued federal funding for additional training and education.

“We became a tier 1 organization for the state of Michigan in 2014 in response to the Ebola threat,” explains Julie Bulson, director of business assurance for Corewell Health West. “In an effort to strengthen the national response structure, the federal government this year decided to increase the number of regional treatment centers. Because we had already been doing this work, we applied and were chosen.”

According to HHS, RESPTCs are hospitals with greater infectious disease care capabilities that act as regional hubs for the National Special Pathogen System. Federal funding for education and training assures that the hospitals are continuously ready and available to care for special pathogen patients. The grant money for preparedness will be awarded over a five-year period.

“This puts us on the national stage,” adds Bulson. “More importantly, it will help us strengthen our preparedness so that we can have the training and education to take care of special pathogen patients and help keep our community safe.”

About Corewell Health West

Corewell Health West, formerly Spectrum Health, is a not-for-profit health system serving 13 counties in West Michigan. Corewell Health West is a region of Corewell Health™, formerly the BHSH System (Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health) that provides care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 22 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving over 1.2 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org or spectrumhealth.org.

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