Aligning for Impact: From Momentum to Action

A 2026 Leadership Series from the MNCM Board Chair & President

Momentum matters most when it turns into action.

When we last wrote in this series, we described the momentum building across Minnesota's health care community. Through the Executive Leadership Council, leaders from every corner of our ecosystem explored what it would take to build trusted, sustainable, statewide health data infrastructure that serves the public interest.

Today, we are proud to share a significant step forward. On October 12, MN Community Measurement (MNCM) convened a special joint meeting of its Board of Directors and members to consider three resolutions:

1. Acquisition of the HIE business line. Authorizing MNCM to acquire Koble-MN's health information exchange (HIE) business line and the MNSHINE brand from The Koble Group.
2. Change of legal name. Changing MNCM's legal name to Minnesota Statewide Health Information Network and Exchange (MNSHINE), with related amendments to our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
3. Establishment of the HIE Advisory Committee. Creating a standing committee of the Board to guide our HIE work and adopting its charter.

The Board unanimously approved all three resolutions, and our members unanimously adopted the name change and related amendments. Following those approvals, our transaction with The Koble Group has closed. MNCM now owns and operates the HIE business line, along with the MNSHINE brand.

A Milestone for Minnesota

This transition brings together two capabilities that are foundational to the future the Council has been exploring: trusted measurement and trusted exchange. For the first time, measuring health care quality, cost, and utilization will happen alongside the infrastructure that moves clinical data between organizations. Both will be stewarded by one mission-driven, collaborative organization.

We extend our sincere thanks to our board and members for their thoughtful deliberation, to the Koble team for their partnership throughout this process, and to our colleagues at the Minnesota EHR Consortium for their continued collaboration. We are equally grateful to the Executive Leadership Council members, whose insight continues to shape this work.

Why this Matters

As interoperability requirements grow, expectations for real-time data exchange rise, and federal policy continues to evolve, Minnesota needs shared infrastructure that organizations of every size can trust and rely on. Bringing HIE services into MNCM builds on the state's existing strengths rather than starting over.

This alignment creates new opportunities to advance the priorities the Council has identified, including modernizing quality measurement through interoperability while reducing administrative burden, and making better use of clinical data to support coordination across the health care system. As always, our focus remains on solutions that are practical, scalable, and accessible.

For current HIE participants, our first commitment is continuity. The services you rely on today will continue without interruption, and we will reach out directly with any operational details you need.

Central to that continuity, we are pleased to welcome Chad Peterson, CEO of Koble, to the MNCM staff as Senior Vice President of HIE Services. Chad brings deep knowledge of Minnesota's HIE operations, its participants, and the statewide landscape, and he has been a valued voice on the Executive Leadership Council. His leadership ensures that the expertise and relationships behind these services carry forward, giving participants a familiar partner as we begin this next chapter together.

A New Name, Effective November 1

Our expanded role calls for a name that reflects the full scope of our work. On November 1, MN Community Measurement will officially become Minnesota Statewide Health Information Network and Exchange, known as MNSHINE.

The MNSHINE name came to us as part of this transaction, and it reflects our statewide role in both health information exchange and measurement. While our name is changing, our commitments are not. We remain dedicated to trust, stewardship, transparency, and the collaborative approach that has defined our work with Minnesota's health care community since 2005.

In the weeks leading up to November 1, partners can expect updates to our website, email addresses, and materials. We will share these details in advance so the transition is as seamless as possible.

Guided by Those We Serve: The HIE Advisory Committee

The people who use health information exchange every day are best positioned to help guide it. That is why the Board has established the HIE Advisory Committee as a standing committee of the Board, effective with the close of the transaction.

The committee continues the work of the Koble-MN Advisory Committee, preserving continuity for the participants and stakeholders who have helped shape HIE services in Minnesota. It will advise the Board on the operation of our HIE work, including interoperability, relationships with participating organizations, privacy, security, and data governance, and health equity in the design and delivery of HIE services.

We are pleased to announce that Jennifer Lamprecht of Sanford Health and Dr. Justine Mrosak of Hennepin Healthcare have been appointed to co-chair the committee. Several members of the Koble-MN Advisory Committee will continue their service as initial members, bringing valuable experience and continuity to this work.

The committee will include up to 15 members representing a cross-section of Minnesota's health care community, including consumers, public health, behavioral health, long-term care, critical access hospitals, integrated delivery networks, payers, and statewide associations. It will meet at least quarterly. Additional appointments will be announced in the coming weeks.

Looking Ahead

As we move through this transition, our focus will be on a thoughtful, well-coordinated integration. Partners can expect direct communication about the name change ahead of November 1, in addition to updates on additional HIE Advisory Committee appointments, and information on how this work connects to Minnesota's broader health data infrastructure planning.

At the same time, we are carefully integrating HIE services into our operations, with a focus on preserving the reliability, privacy, and security that participants depend on. We will keep partners informed at each step.

Continuing the Conversation

Throughout this process, we remain committed to an open and transparent approach that invites broad stakeholder engagement. We welcome your questions, ideas, and feedback, and we encourage you to reach out to us directly.

This milestone belongs to everyone who has helped bring it about. It reflects what Minnesota has always done well: coming together to solve difficult problems in service of a shared vision. We look forward to building what comes next, together.

Mark Steffen, MD

Board Chair, MN Community Measurement

Liz Cinqueonce, MBA

President & CEO, MN Community Measurement