MiHIN Responds to CMS Health Tech Ecosystem Initiative with Strategic Optimism and Renewed Commitment to Community-Based Interoperability

LANSING, Mich., Aug. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MiHIN), Michigan's state-designated health information exchange, has issued a public statement in response to the newly announced CMS Health Tech Ecosystem and Interoperability Framework. This federal initiative, introduced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the White House, is designed to accelerate patient access to digital health data and drive national interoperability across the healthcare system.

The federal initiative has drawn support from national health data networks, major technology companies, and interoperability platforms. While expressing enthusiasm for the vision, MiHIN emphasized the importance of community-rooted governance, equity-driven exchange, and local trust as foundational to meaningful digital transformation.

The announcement from Dr. Isabell Pacheco, incoming CEO of MiHIN, reads, "We welcome this bold national vision as both a validation of our work and a challenge to step forward with even greater clarity. This is more than a pledge—it's a race. And it's one we intend to approach with thoughtful urgency, strong partnerships, and a continued focus on serving the real-world needs of our communities."

The CMS Health Tech Ecosystem outlines a voluntary framework focused on fast healthcare interoperability resource-based APIs, digital health applications, and patient-directed data sharing. More than 60 organizations, including large-scale health data and technology firms, have pledged their support. At the same time, national networks like Civitas have framed the movement as "a movement, not a mandate," highlighting the importance of equity, inclusion, and public trust. MiHIN emphasized that health information exchanges like theirs remain essential to:

• Supporting Medicaid, behavioral health, and public health agencies
• Navigating complex consent and governance across communities
• Delivering accurate, timely, and secure health data where it matters most, including directly to the patient

"We believe the future of interoperability must be built collaboratively," Dr. Pacheco added. "Healthcare innovation can—and should—be balanced with the lived experience and trusted infrastructure of Health Information Exchanges. We're not here to compete with our communities. We're here to serve them—and that role remains as vital as ever."

MiHIN will continue to evaluate opportunities and value-added partnerships to align with the CMS initiative as implementation details emerge. MiHIN remains focused on shaping a healthcare ecosystem where interoperability supports trust, health equity, and lasting transformation.

About Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MiHIN): Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MiHIN) is the state-designated entity for health information exchange in Michigan, dedicated to improving the healthcare experience, improving quality, and decreasing cost for Michigan's people by making valuable data available at the point of care. For more information, visit www.mihin.org.

Media contact:
Amy Roberts
[email protected]

SOURCE MiHin