Great Lakes Health Connect

Overview Great Lakes Health Connect (GLHC) is a nonprofit organization registered under EIN 26-3765394. It operates as a leading Health Information Exchange (HIE) in Michigan, dedicated to enhancing healthcare quality, accessibility, and affordability across the communities it serves.

Mission and Vision GLHC focuses on creating a comprehensive, flexible, and secure platform for the exchange of health information. Its mission is to improve health outcomes, enhance the patient experience, and reduce healthcare costs.

Structure and Operations GLHC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is comprised of a network involving 129 hospitals and over 4,000 primary, specialty, and allied care organizations. The organization's registry houses more than 11 million unique patient records, making it one of the largest HIEs in the country.

Integration with Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MiHIN) As of December 31, 2019, GLHC became a wholly-owned subsidiary of MiHIN after completing a corporate affiliation. This integration aimed to deepen their collective impact on Michigan's healthcare landscape by leveraging their complementary resources and expertise to improve healthcare quality, efficiency, and patient safety.

Innovative Initiatives GLHC has been at the forefront of integrating Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) data into its operations. Through partnerships with organizations like the Greater Flint Health Coalition, GLHC has worked to link healthcare providers with community-based organizations, ensuring better access to vital social services and healthcare. This effort has shown significant success in reducing emergency department visits and enhancing care coordination in regions such as Flint, Michigan.

Technology and Service Offerings GLHC employs cutting-edge technology platforms, such as Holon Solutions' CollaborNet, to provide actionable insights and streamline the exchange of electronic health information. This includes seamless data integration with electronic health records (EHRs) and facilitating referrals to community-based services.

By fostering collaboration between healthcare providers and community organizations, GLHC plays a critical role in advancing healthcare outcomes across Michigan.

[1] https://mihin.org/2020/01/michigan-health-information-network-shared-services-completes-affiliation-with-great-lakes-health-connect/ [2] https://www.holonsolutions.com/integrating-sdoh-into-the-hie-great-lakes-health-connect-makes-progress/ [3] https://michiganhisp.midirect.net [4] https://mihin.org/2019/11/michigan-health-information-network-shared-services-integrates-great-lakes-health-connect/ [5] https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/01/07/1967285/0/en/Michigan-Health-Information-Network-Shared-Services-completes-affiliation-with-Great-Lakes-Health-Connect.html