Michigan Child Health Equity Collaborative
Research and improvement are the processes; equity is the outcome
Welcome to the Michigan Child Health Equity Collaborative (Mi-CHEC)!
Mi-CHEC is a quality collaborative of the three largest pediatric hospitals in Michigan: C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital of Michigan, and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Mi-CHEC, funded in partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, is designed to engage these hospitals – including providers in pediatric care (e.g., doctors, nurses, social workers, staff), institutional leaders and families – in identifying and measuring any health-care inequities that might exist within the organizations. Mi-CHEC facilitates the sharing of topics for investigation, research methods, data and quality improvement strategies across the member hospitals to support this process. If the presence of an inequity is verified through a rigorous process, Mi-CHEC will work in a collaborative fashion across the hospitals to develop and implement specific quality improvement interventions.
How we define inequity
To establish the scope of work for Mi-CHEC, we use a specific definition of inequity: Differences in clinical treatment or patient/family experiences related to characteristics such as race and ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability status, language, weight status, income gradient and more. We define health inequities as generally inside the control of health-care systems or individual providers.
How we are funded
We are funded in partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), whose mission is to provide services and administer programs to improve the health, safety and prosperity of Michigan residents. The vision of MDHHS is to deliver health and opportunity to all Michiganders, reducing intergenerational poverty and promoting health equity.
