The boards of Michigan’s two largest health information exchanges have approved a letter of intent to merge operations, which will further enable a majority of Michigan hospitals and health care providers to exchange patient records. The union will also create one of the largest privately funded, financially sustainable health information exchanges in the country, officials say.
“Millions of Michigan residents will receive better care and achieve greater levels of personal health as a result of this merger,” says Patrick O’Hare, board chair of Michigan Health Connect. “Combining the talent and resources of these two organizations makes perfect sense for Michigan at this time.”
The merger between East Lansing-based Great Lakes Health Information Exchange and Grand Rapids-based Michigan Health Connect involves more than 2,000 provider offices and more than 100 hospitals. It also positions Michigan as a national leader in the exchange of electronic health records, allowing medical professionals to better coordinate and more securely access a patient’s complete health information.
“This is the right thing to do for our participating providers and their patients,” says Dr. Brian McCardel, board chair of the Great Lakes Health Information Exchange. “This merger means we can maximize collaboration between providers across Michigan through robust, integrated exchange of clinical information.”
The due diligence process is expected to be completed by March 31.
