MI HIE Appoints Officials to Help Guide Interoperability Efforts

Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MiHIN) has announced three new board of director members to help steer the state’s health information exchange (HIE) and interoperability efforts.

The HIE’s new board members include Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) director; Michelle Ilitch, Priority Health vice president; and Sondra Pedigo, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) vice president.

“We are thrilled to add the collective expertise of Elizabeth Hertel, Michelle Illitch and Sondra Pedigo to the board,” Tim Pletcher, DHA, executive director of MiHIN, said in a press release. “This new cohort of leadership will contribute to the overall guidance and strategy of Michigan’s statewide initiative to improve health care delivery through better access to electronic health information.”

Prior to serving as MDHHS director, Hertel was senior chief deputy director for administration. In this position, she oversaw external relations and communications, financial operations, legislative services, legal affairs, strategic integration, organizational services, workforce engagement, and community and faith engagement.

Illitch currently serves as the vice president of provider network contracting and development for the east region at Priority Health. In this role, she is responsible for driving strategy and forming relationships with various East Michigan providers to improve quality and lower the cost of care for Priority Health members.

Ilitch has experience in network development, risk-based contracting, population health IT data platforms, and care management.

Sondra Pedigo is BCBSM’s vice president for marketplace regulatory ops and data governance. She joined the company in 2001 as part of the efforts to comply with HIPAA regulation.

Throughout her career at BCBSM, Pedigo has had experience in IT, individual business, product development, and corporate marketing.

She also led the implementation of the ACA marketplace for BCBSM and is currently leading implementation for many of the critical health care value programs. Prior to joining BCBSM, Sondra worked as a director for trauma and surgical services and clinical program development for the Detroit Medical Center.

These new board members are expected to bring unique perspectives as the HIE looks to enhance health data interoperability across the state.

“Elizabeth, Michelle, and Sondra bring a wealth of collective experience to the board, having worked in both public and private sectors to improve population health,” said Larry Wagenknecht, chairman of the MiHIN board of directors.

“I am confident that their knowledge, contributions and veteran perspective will enhance our growth strategies to ensure Michigan’s ongoing healthcare transformation meets the needs of our residents,” Wagenknecht added.

MiHIN officials noted that the HIE is committed to ensuring that its board is comprised of leaders from historically siloed sectors.

These appointments were effective November 1, 2021 with a three-year long term.