Corporate History

Serving Southeastern Michigan for 64 years.

The Greater Detroit Area Health Council (GDAHC) was founded and incorporated August 14, 1944, as the Detroit Hospital Council with the primary goal of improving the management of community health resources city-wide, providing health facility planning to hospitals.

As the state of health care and health care delivery changed, the Council changed its focus from hospitals to becoming a coalition dedicated to the cost-effective allocation, management and use of health care resources. The Council continues its mission through innovative planning and strategies with strong collaborations and partnerships.  Recognized nationally and locally, GDAHC serves as the leading influential health care coalition in the region. 

In 1982, the name was changed to the Greater Detroit Area Health Council.

 Timeline

1944

• Founded as the Detroit Hospital Council

1950's

• 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

1960's

• The Council's regional influence grew substantially from its planning initiatives
• In partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Council performed evaluations of hospital expansion
• Restructured Board of Directors to add business and community leaders

1970's

• Produced hospital patient-origin (market share) analyses (believed to be first in U.S.)
• Served as fiduciary for the creation of Comprehensive Health Planning Council
• Conducted an analysis of critical health issues in Southeast Michigan (SEM)

1980's

• Broadened agenda to all health care concerns --in addition to hospital supply, capacity and distribution issues
• Restructured and became known as Greater Detroit Area Health Council; discontinued hospital trade association functions
• Broadened membership to all interested stakeholders
• Convened a high-level business task force to recommend Council's future

1990's

• Initiated quality assessment, measurement and improvement initiatives (SEM Regional Heart Consortium)
• Formed the Health Information Action Group (HIAG) business unit
• Developed value purchasing initiatives
• Formalized the community health improvement program area

2002 to the Present

2002

• Established the Southeastern MI (SEM) Health Care Future Directions Initiative, a high level task force to address cost and quality issues

2004 to 2006

•  Save Lives Save Dollars (SLSD) established to implement Health Care Future Directions -- 30 organizations support SLSD
• Established GDAHC Innovations in Nursing Planning Task Force
• GDAHC took lead in planning and coordinating community health education and outreach activities for the Super Bowl
• Partnership formed with Vital Magazine, Detroit Media Partnerships

2007

• GDAHC designated as Community Leader for Value Driven Health 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
• Held first-ever golf outing as a new revenue producing strategy -- exceeded the projected revenue target

2008

• GDAHC designated as Chartered Value Exchange (CVE) by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• GDAHC awarded $1 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) community participant