- At roundtable, Nessel blasts federal SNAP turmoil as Michigan communities face rising need
- Whitmer signs Republican-led push for Michigan earmark reforms into law
- Trump administration urged by US House Dems to act on health insurance claim denials
- Former Congressman Andy Levin endorses El-Sayed’s U.S. Senate bid in joint op-ed
- Michigan regulators to host public hearing on DTE contracts for Saline Township data center
- US Senate agrees with overwhelming House vote to force release of Epstein files
- Trump administration unveils plan to try to dismantle Department of Education
- Report concludes that financial resources are the biggest driver of Michigan health outcomes
- Tlaib and Thanedar among Democrats pressing ICE for answers on detainment of pregnant women
- Shortage of rural doctors won’t end anytime soon, report says
Without a single reference to any of the recent, massive data thefts from Michigan medical data files, Lisa Nicolaou at the Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN) praises the role of cloud data files in reducing 'health inequities'. This is part of the Michigan Democrats' SDOH (Social Determinants Of Health) agitprop, a thinly disguised effort to racialize health care across our state.
Everyone needs to clearly understand that 'cloud' data files are stored on some unknown server, belonging to some unknown entity, with totally unknown levels of security. 'Cloud' is a term intended to make the computer illiterate comfortable with completely irresponsible file storage done at the lowest cost, with the least degree of protection:
Opinion | Michigan’s data-sharing efforts help reduce health inequities
By Lisa Nicolaou - January 24, 2024The new year is here and many of us, myself included, are resolving to prioritize our health and wellness. On the docket: moving more, eating healthier and getting more sleep. That’s how we have been taught to think about our health — as a series of choices which are entirely dependent on the mindset and willpower of the individual making them.
In reality, it’s not that straightforward.
Imagine growing up near a busy highway, with limited access to fresh food and safe parks. Or living in a community plagued by food insecurity and unemployment. These social determinants of health (SDOH) – your neighborhood, education, income and more – silently influence your health, well-being and quality of life. In fact, SDOH impact our health more than the medical care we receive, with 50-60% of an individual’s health outcomes being attributed to social and environmental factors.
This isn't just some national statistic – it's a reality playing out right here in Michigan. Recognizing the critical importance of addressing SDOH, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed January as SDOH Month. Throughout the month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and its local, state and federal partners will highlight their efforts to address the complex issues that impact SDOH – but it’s important to keep in mind that this work is a marathon and not a sprint.
Fortunately, Michigan is blazing the trail in the national fight for health equity.
The Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN) is Michigan’s state-designated health information exchange, allowing hospitals, physicians, and other medical professionals to share health records quickly and securely. MiHIN is leading the way by fostering collaboration among historically siloed healthcare and social service providers.
This fragmented landscape creates significant obstacles to improving care, controlling spending, preventing duplication and burdens individuals with coordinating their own care. By harnessing the combined power of health and social care data, we gain a holistic understanding of an individual’s needs, optimize resource allocation and develop targeted interventions that improve care outcomes for Michiganders.
In 2022, MiHIN facilitated a trailblazing “Interoperability Pledge” that brought together several of the most prominent software companies that connect people in need with vital resources. By signing the pledge, these companies joined forces and committed to work towards the use of national data standards that would allow information to move freely between commercial software systems, eliminating information silos and improving care coordination. The companies – who are ultimately competitors in the marketplace – have come together to create a more collaborative environment, share best practices and even develop new solutions that ultimately help Michiganders and the care teams that serve them.
Additionally, Michigan is tackling SDOH head-on through its newly established Community Information Exchange (CIE) Advisory Committee. In its first year, the cross-sector committee is focused on implementing a statewide strategy designed to address the complex issues surrounding care coordination between health and social care and to create a path to advance health equity for all residents. The group’s work hinges on a robust system for exchanging health and social care data – a system that puts people first, empowers them to control their health information and connects them directly to critical resources within their communities. The data captured through this care process can inform evidence-based policy changes, ultimately paving the way for health equity for all Michiganders.
Leaders throughout Michigan are working hard to create the playbook on how to better care for the whole person. At MiHIN, we're on a mission to empower both patients and the care teams that serve them. We're working collaboratively with our state CIE Advisory Committee to guide how data is used, ensuring it unlocks the door to true health equity for all.
At the end of the day, meeting a basic need like hunger is simple – provide food. However, untangling the complex web of factors that led to the need in the first place – poverty, lack of access to healthy food, and systemic inequalities – is anything but. To advance health equity, minimize disparities and create environments where health and wellness can be maximized, we need data to drive smart policies, funding to invest in the social and environmental factors that influence health and a commitment to equity across all industries and sectors.
The most damaging of the recent health care data thefts have been covered in these MHFF posts:
CCHF's classic observation about SDOH dates to 7/27/22.
Medicare Race and Ethnicity Data Inaccurate—Hinders Attempt to Centralize Economy
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report showing inaccuracies in Medicare’s data on race and ethnicity. Race and ethnicity data currently originate from the Social Security Administration, and then Medicare applies an algorithm to create its data. However, these data disagreed with self-reported race and ethnicity. For example, 28% of the beneficiaries identified as Hispanic in the data did not self-identify as Hispanic. Similarly, 46% of Medicare beneficiaries identified in the data as Indian or Alaska Native did not self-identify as such. The OIG wrote, “Data that are not accurate limit the ability to assess health disparities.”NOTE: The ultimate goal of the “health equity” and “health disparities” agenda is to use claims of racism to centralize the economy or, as the Deloitte’ Health Equity Center says, to create a world in which “all people have the fair and just opportunity to achieve their full potential in every aspect of their health and well-being.”
Wonder if any of Michigan's OIGs care to take a look at current state data?
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