Episode 335- Building Safer Systems For Kids. With Luanne Thomas Ewald

A kid walks into the ER because they thought a THC edible was candy, and the package did the lying. That’s one of the most unsettling through-lines in my conversation with Luanne Thomas Ewald, chief operating officer at CS Mott Children’s Hospital and Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital at University of Michigan Health, recorded at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference with the Michigan Health and Hospital Association. Luanne breaks down what’s new at Michigan Medicine, including how CS Mott keeps pushing pediatric innovation and measurable outcomes, and why a design choice matters more than a press release: the women’s hospital is built within the children’s hospital, so high-risk deliveries can move a newborn to specialized care in a one-minute elevator ride instead of an ambulance transfer. We also talk leadership and collaboration across Michigan as she reflects on nearly 34 years in children’s health and her role with MHA’s Council on Children’s Health, where hospitals step away from competition to focus on what’s best for kids statewide. We dig into major child health policy issues that don’t always make headlines: Medicaid funding threats that squeeze working families caring for children with chronic conditions, and how housing support like Ronald McDonald House Ann Arbor becomes critical when a children’s hospital is consistently operating above capacity. If you care about pediatric patient safety, children’s hospital capacity, Medicaid policy, or practical regulation that prevents harm, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more healthcare leadership conversations, share this episode with someone who cares about kids’ health in Michigan, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. Support the show Engage the conversation on Substack at The Common Bridge!