Corporate History
The Greater Detroit Area Health Council [GDAHC] was founded in 1944 and serves as the nation's longest-standing multi-stakeholder healthcare collaborative. GDAHC represents everyone that gets care, gives care, and pays for care. We have served the communities of southeastern Michigan for 73-years working to improve the health and wellbeing for everyone. As the nation's longest-standing healthcare collaborative, we have a robust history that highlights our capabilities and what we bring to the table.
1944
Founded as the Detroit Hospital Council.
1950s
Conducted evaluations of requests for capital through a working relationship established with the Metro Detroit Building Fund.
Began regional community health planning initiatives during period of rapid expansion of hospital capacity.
1960s
The Council's regional influence grew substantially from its planning initiatives:
In partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield, the Council performed evaluations of hospital expansion.
Restructured Board of Directors to add business and community leaders.
1970s
Produced hospital patient-origin (market share) analyses. Believed to be the first in the United States.
Served as fiduciary of the creation of Comprehensive Health Planning Council.
Conducted an analysis of critical health issues in southeast Michigan.
1980s
Broadened agenda to hall health care concerns - in addition to hospital supply, capacity and distribution issues.
Restructured and became known as the Greater Detroit Area Health Council; discounted hospital trade association functions.
Broadened membership to all interested stakeholders and convened a high-level business task force to recommend the Council's future.
1990s
Initiated quality assessment, measurement and improvement initiatives, like the Southeast Michigan Regional Heart Consortium.
Formed the Health Information Action Group (HAIG) business unit.
2002
Established the Southeastern Michigan Health Care Future Directions Initiative, a high-level task force to address health care cost and quality issues.
2004 to 2006
Save Lives Save Dollars (SLSD) established to implement Helath Care Future Directions. 30 organizations supported SLSD.
Established GDAHC innovations in Nursing Planning Task Force.
GDAHC took the lead in planning and coordinating community health education and outreach activities for the Super Bowl.
First public performance report posted in July 20016 on hospital perforamce included both consumer-friendly Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Hospital Compare and Leapfrog data.
GDAHC was one of the first four communities to be awarded the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Aligning Forces for Quality grants for performance measurement and public reporting consumer engagement and quality improvement.
2007
GDAHC designated as Community Leader for Value Driven Care by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
National visibility of GDAHC and SLSD increased.
Regional Action Network for Nursing (RANN) established to implement Innovations in Nursing strategy.
2008
GDAHC designated as Chartered Value Exchange (CVE) by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
First physicians organization performance data published in September. This was the first of its kind in Michigan, combining data from all four major commercial health plans.
GDAHC begins second round of funding from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Aligning Forces for Quality program; three years of funding added to disparities and inpatient care to existing work.
2009
myCareCompare.org launched; added capacity for content to support provider performance reports, including resources, FAQs, and additional detail about areas such as data collection, report preparation and methodology, etc.
2011
GDAHC began third phase of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Aligning Forces for Quality program; cardiac conditions added as an area of focus.
2013
GDAHC designated the Southeast Michigan Regional Area Health Education Center by Wayne State University and funded through the U.S. Department of Health Resources and Services Administration.
Began fourth and final phase of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Aligning Forces for Quality program funding.
2014
Launch of Find MI Care website and mobile app, which helps consumers find low-cost health care from a searchable database.
Awarded a Health Innovation grant from the Michigan Department of COmmunity Health to train hospital staff to use Find MI Care when discharging patients.
Celebrated 70 years of service to the community at Salute! to Healthcare awards gala.
2015
Awarded funding from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for the Health Around the Corner program; established Macomb Partners in Health to help carry out program activities. GDAHC serves as one of four organizations implementing this program across the state.
Began three-year partnership with the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation and Consumer Reports, working on the Choosing Wisely initiative. GDAHC is one of seven healthcare collaboratives currently working on Choosing Wisely across the country.
Through funding from Trinity Health, the Public Health Institute, the Reinvestment Fund, and the Henry Ford Health System, GDAHC began working on the AHEAD program in the Cody Rouge neighborhood in Detroit. The major objective of AHEAD is to align assets in the community so that programming and funding may be better coordinated.
2016
GDAHC became a designated Qualified Entity on October 24th, 2016. We are the 16th in the country and the 12th Network for Regional Health Improvement member to gain this designation.
Formed a partnership with Health Management Systems of American to host our Coffee & Controversy event series, as well as an additional conversational series on contemporary health topics.
Launched the Southeast Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Coalition (SEMPQIC) through funding from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. SEMPQIC addresses disparities in maternal health, birth outcomes, and infant mortality rates in the region.
Found the Southeast Alliance for Addiction Free Communities, a task force, to solve the opioid crisis and other substance abuse disorders. The task force is made up of representatives from all sectors, working together to combat substance abuse from all areas.