Superior Health Quality Alliance announces the launch and inaugural members of the Great Lakes Executive Leadership Council (ELC), a regional advisory body focused on advancing collaboration, accountability, and quality improvement outcomes across the Great Lakes Region.
The Great Lakes ELC plays a critical role in supporting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Innovation Network–Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) program by bringing together senior leaders from health care organizations, public health agencies, and community-based partners. The Great Lakes ELC serves as a forum for strategic guidance, shared learning, and regional alignment to improve health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries and communities across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
“The Great Lakes Executive Leadership Council embodies what it looks like when mission-driven leaders come together with a shared responsibility for improving care,” said Tania Daniels Chief Executive Officer of Superior Health. “Through collective accountability and strategic alignment, this council will help ensure our work remains responsive to community needs and drives measurable improvements in quality, safety and health outcomes across every state in the Great Lakes Region.”
Purpose of the Executive Leadership Council
The purpose of the Great Lakes Executive Leadership Council is to:
- Demonstrate accountability for engagement, collaboration, and quality improvement outcomes across the region
- Review and assess progress of regional, state, and local performance metrics
- Provide strategic guidance to advance Superior Health Quality Alliance’s work and support participating organizations in achieving improvement goals
By meeting regularly and reviewing performance data through an executive dashboard, the ELC helps ensure that regional priorities remain data-driven, aligned, and responsive to community needs.
Participating Members
The Great Lakes ELC is composed of a diverse group of senior leaders representing health care delivery systems, provider organizations, public health agencies, and community partners. Membership reflects a balance of perspectives across urban and rural areas, independent and system-based organizations, and multiple states within the region.
Participating members include representation from:
- Krista Adams, Life Care Centers of America
- Nadine Allen, Wisconsin Hospital Association
- Mary-Lyn Baldauf, Qsource
- Juli Brandt, WI Department of Health Services
- Kelsey Brown, Ohio Hospital Association
- Tammy Cassidy, Ohio Health Care Association
- Elizabeth Cinqueonce, Minnesota Community Measurement
- Charisse Coulombe, Compass Healthcare Collaborative
- Doug Dascenzo, Henry Ford Health System
- Lori Davenport, Indiana Health Care Association
- Kari Everson, LeadingAge Minnesota
- Cindy Fronning, National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration in Long-Term Care (NADONA)
- Shannon Gilb, Minnesota Dept of Health, Health Regulations Division
- Kim Hamm, McLaren Health Care
- Julia Harbuck-Valley, Scheurer Health
- Carrie Henning-Smith, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
- Sue Huntenburg, previous PFLAG President Mt. Horeb Chapter
- Lori Johnson, Hennepin Healthcare
- Jill Jonas, previous PFLAG President Mt. Horeb Chapter
- Kristie King, Southeast Michigan Senior Regional Collaborative (SRC)
- Lori Koeppel, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Medicine and Wisconsin Director of Nursing Council Education Forum Inc.
- Suzanne Kuzemka, Indiana Department of Health
- Renee Leinbach, Minnesota Community Care
- Dheeraj Mahajan, CIMPAR
- Susan McClernon, Innovative Healthcare Leadership, LLC
- Patricia Merryweather-Arges, Project Patient Care
- Danielle Mleczko, Preferred Care Michigan
- Katie Salman, MyMichigan Health
- Bihu Sandhir, Blanchard Valley Health System
- Michelle Scherwinski, Champion Care
- Angela Schnepf, LeadingAge Illinois and Iowa
- Ann Scott Blouin, PSQ Advisory
- Bruce Spurlock, Convergence Health
- Amanda St. Martin, Michigan Center for Rural Health
- Scott Stewart, Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association
- Jennifer Williams, Indiana Health Information Exchange
This broad representation ensures the Great Lakes ELC guidance reflects real-world experience, regional diversity, and a shared commitment to improving care quality and health equity.
Strategic Alignment
The work of the Great Lakes ELC aligns with Superior Health’s core values of integrity, innovation, quality, and equity, reinforcing a collective commitment to ethical leadership, continuous improvement, and respect for the diverse communities served throughout the Great Lakes Region.
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About Superior Health Quality Alliance
Superior Health Quality Alliance is the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-designated Quality Innovation Network–Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for the Great Lakes Region, working with health care providers, communities, and partners to improve the quality, safety, and value of care for Medicare beneficiaries. Learn more, access the Superior Health website.
Media Contact:
Sarah Altermatt, Marketing and Communications Lead
saltermatt@superiorhealthqa.org
608-441-8208
Superior Health Quality Alliance (Superior Health), as the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN-QIO) for Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin relentlessly pursued our mission to improve the health of Medicare beneficiaries throughout the last five years. We have ensured essential health care programming reaches communities across the upper Midwest through our partnerships with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and with trusted health care organizations, state agencies, professional and trade associations and others.
Access the Transforming Health Care Delivery Report to learn about our recent achievements. The report also serves as a roadmap for the future, guiding us as we strive to anticipate and deliver the health care solutions that will have the greatest impact on the well-being of Medicare beneficiaries.
Madison, WI – Sept. 4, 2024 – Superior Health Quality Alliance (Superior Health), a health care improvement organization serving Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, is pleased to announce its bid and plans for continuing to improve the care and health of older adults in the next five-year Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) program, called 13th Statement of Work (SOW), which also includes Indiana and Ohio.
The organization has a proven record of leadership and innovation in quality improvement initiatives in communities throughout the region, and of leveraging the breadth and depth of its longstanding and trusted relationships with health care organizations, state agencies, professional and trade associations and other partners. The bid for the CMS 13th SOW represents an opportunity to extend this legacy and continue its mission to improve the health of Medicare beneficiaries.
“The work we do in partnership with CMS is critical to the fundamental health of our communities,” said Tania Daniels, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Superior Health. “Through this bid, we aim to continue our work in transforming patient care, ensuring that the highest standards of safety and quality are upheld across the care continuum.”
Superior Health is an active participant in the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) program. This initiative plays a crucial role in uniting Medicare beneficiaries, providers, and communities to enhance patient safety, promote healthier communities, and improve the coordination of care. The program’s regional focus ensures that best practices are tailored to local needs while spreading effective solutions quickly.
Superior Health is also pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Qsource, a prominent player in health care quality initiatives for over 50 years. Mary-Lyn Baldauf, Qsource CEO, said “This partnership underscores both companies’ commitment to delivering exceptional health care outcomes.” Under this partnership, Qsource will leverage its expertise in Quality Improvement and Quality Assurance, patient safety, education, communications and data analytics in Indiana to complement the expertise of Superior Health. “The driving force for this collaboration is to realize an immediate and sustainable impact for patients and communities,” said Baldauf.
Daniels expressed confidence in Superior Health’s ability to meet the objectives set forth in the CMS 13th SOW. “Our organization is uniquely equipped to drive impactful improvements and support CMS in achieving its vision of quality care for all Medicare beneficiaries,” said Daniels. “We have a proven track record of leveraging the strengths of our member organizations, collaborating across task orders and improving care for beneficiaries in the communities we serve.”
Superior Health is also launching a new website, demonstrating its dedication to transparency, resource-sharing and collaboration. It serves as a hub for the latest information on quality improvement efforts, offering tools and best practices to support health care providers and community partners in delivering better care.
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Superior Health Quality Alliance is comprised of eight member organizations – all with long track records of success driving achievement of Medicare quality improvement goals. Member organizations include the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, MetaStar, Michigan Health & Hospital Association, Midwest Kidney Network, Minnesota Hospital Association, iMPROve Health, Stratis Health and the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Our diverse capabilities and commitment to excellence form a comprehensive quality improvement organization dedicated to collaborative approaches to improve the health of the communities we serve. Learn more, access the Superior Health website.
Qsource, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Tennessee, works with health care providers, partners, patients and other stakeholders to continually improve health care quality, and ensure providers meet regulatory requirements. For over 50 years, Qsource has been a nationwide leader in Quality Improvement and Quality Assurance. Qsource has touched a wide range of health care settings, serving 16 million Medicare users, supporting 21 thousand skilled nursing facilities, assisting 64 thousand ESRD patients and fostering over 60 thousand community coalitions. Working with providers, partners, patients and other stakeholders, Qsource equips health care institutions with the tools and knowledge necessary to improve quality for years to come. Learn more, access the Qsource website.
Media Contact:
Jacquie Robinson
jrobinson@beehivepr.biz
651.789.2237