House Health Policy Committee Hears Testimony in Support of Health Data Utility in Michigan

Isabell Pacheco, DSc, FACHE, Chief Administrative Officer, and Kim Bachelder, Vice President, State of Michigan Program, along with board member Dr. Kevin Bohnsack of Trinity Health Michigan, testified before the Michigan House of Representatives Health Policy Committee Wednesday, March 12th on House Bills 4037 and 4038.

House Bills 4037 and 4038

These bills - introduced by Representative Curt VanderWall and Representative Julie Rogers -call to establish certain requirements to operate a Health Data Utility (HDU) and modify allocation of revenue under the Insurance Provider Assessment Act (IPAA), respectively.

With these bills, Michigan continues taking major steps toward modernizing healthcare data through enhanced patient care, improving public health outcomes, and reducing healthcare costs statewide.

What is a Health Data Utility?

Health Data Utilities (HDUs) are regional or statewide entities that combine, enhance, and exchange electronic health data across care and service settings for treatment, care coordination, quality improvement, health equity, and public and community health purposes. They serve as critical statewide data sharing infrastructure and enable specific, defined use cases with extra protection to ensure patient privacy and protection[1].

HDUs build upon the existing Health Information Exchange (HIE) by integrating medical records, lab results, and public health data—ensuring an accessible patient record for all authorized providers. This improved data-sharing system would address current gaps, particularly in settings like schools, rehabilitation centers, ambulances, and foster care facilities, where critical patient information is often unavailable.

Benefits of an HDU

The benefits of an HDU are substantial. By breaking down data silos, it allows hospitals, clinics, public health agencies, and social services to work together more efficiently. Providers gain real-time access to patient information, improving care coordination and reducing the risk of medical errors. First responders can access vital patient data in emergencies, ensuring faster, life-saving interventions. Additionally, public health officials would be better equipped to track disease outbreaks, address chronic health challenges, and respond to crises or the opioid epidemic.

From a financial perspective, a HDU helps reduce costs by minimizing duplicate tests, unnecessary hospital visits, and inefficient administrative work. With improved data accessibility, patients can receive more personalized, effective care, while the healthcare system as a whole benefits from streamlined operations and improved efficiency.

What’s Next?

This legislation has strong bipartisan momentum, and testimony on its importance can be viewed in the Michigan House video archive.

With the technology, infrastructure, and legislative support already in place, Michigan has the opportunity to modernize healthcare, protect patient safety, and strengthen public health. The House Policy Committee is expected to vote on these bills in the near future.

[1] https://www.civitasforhealth.org/health-data-utilities/