MSHIELD advances goal to eliminate health disparities across Michigan

Promoting whole health for all people through data-driven, community-partnered, equity‑centered quality improvement is the mission of Michigan Social Health Interventions to Eliminate Disparities, or MSHIELD, a Collaborative Quality Initiative sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network.

MSHIELD partners with other statewide CQIs and participating health care providers to integrate patient care practices that:

• Identify health inequities
• Address social determinants of health
• Work toward better, more equitable outcomes

The CQIs are a component of our Value Partnerships program that support the collection and analysis of data, and development of corresponding quality improvement efforts to improve patient care.

As we detailed in a July-August 2023 Hospital and Physician Update article, the three pillars that guide MSHIELD’s work are data strategy and quality, community-clinical partnerships and culture of equity.

MSHIELD is in Year 2 of its three-year plan to expand its three pillars.

Year 1 accomplishments

Community-clinical partnerships:

• Launched an advisory council
• Expanded social needs screening to more practices and CQIs partnering with community hubs

Culture of equity:

• Built health equity capacity among multiple staff members with each CQI

Data strategy and quality:

• Expanded the reach of data consultations to all CQIs
• Disseminated best practice guidelines on data collection and analysis
• michiganshield.org/resources/general-resources

Year 2 goals

Community-clinical partnerships:

• Expand social needs screenings to regions of the state without community hubs

Culture of equity:

• Build health equity capacity among staff at each CQI Coordinating Center

Data strategy and quality:

• Build and disseminate Michigan social determinants of health database for use by all CQIs

Year 3 goals

Community-clinical partnerships:

• Build capacity with CQIs and community hubs to implement screenings themselves, accelerating the impact exponentially

Culture of equity:

• Build statewide health equity and anti-racism training for hospitals and practices

Data strategy and quality:

• Collaborate with each CQI to develop equity-focused QI measures and goals

To learn more about MSHIELD, visit michiganshield.org.* For more information on the CQIs and other Value Partnerships programs, visit valuepartnerships.com.

*Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network don’t own or control this website.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.