Corewell Health System

Spectrum Health and Priority Health Executives Named Crain’s Detroit Business Notable Women in Health Care

Tina Freese Decker, Spectrum Health Executive Vice President and COO, and Joan Budden, Priority Health President and CEO, honored with award

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., June 26, 2018 –Tina Freese Decker and Joan Budden have been named Crain’s Detroit Business Notable Women in Health Care 2018.

Freese Decker serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Spectrum Health, and Budden serves as president and chief executive officer of Priority Health, Spectrum Health’s health plan.

Crain’s Notable Women in Health Care were selected based on career accomplishments, involvement in nonprofits and community organizations, and evidence that they mentor others in their field, as outlined in an extensive nomination form written by journalists who cover the health care industry in Michigan.

“Accomplished leaders in health care not only seek creative solutions for the challenges of today, but constantly envision the challenges and opportunities for success that will arise in coming years,” said Richard C. Breon, President & CEO, Spectrum Health. “Tina Freese Decker and Joan Budden exemplify the best attributes of successful industry leaders who combine acumen with foresight and link strategic planning to a vision for improving not only their organizational health, but the health of the communities they serve.”

In recent years, Freese Decker has led the implementation of a $300 million transformation of the health care model, including the installation of Epic for the transition to a single health record and billing platform. She has worked to improve integration of Priority Health with Spectrum Health Hospital Group and Spectrum Health Medical Group to bring greater value to patients. She has also championed virtual medicine strategy and the implementation of a telemedicine tool, MedNow, launching the MedNow app in 2017 to become the first health system in the country to build a standalone consumer-facing telemedicine app for users inside and outside of its health system.

Budden has led the growth of the health plan to touching nearly 1 million people across the state of Michigan and nationally, every year. Under her direction, the organization designed affordable health plans for individuals across Michigan that resulted in over 200,000 more people obtaining coverage. She also was instrumental in the development of the Priority Health Cost Estimator tool, which gives members instant access to cost information for hundreds of health care procedures and has resulted in shared savings of more than $7 million.

Freese Decker previously served as vice president of system strategic planning for Spectrum Health System; in 2011, she was named president of Spectrum Health United and Spectrum Health Kelsey hospitals; in 2013, she became senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Spectrum Health System; in 2014, she became president of Spectrum Health Hospital Group, and she took on her current role in 2017.

Budden served as Priority Health’s chief marketing officer from 2009 to 2015. In 2016, she was named president and chief executive officer.

Both women are active in industry and community organizations, serving in a number of leadership positions.

Freese Decker serves on the board of directors for the Michigan Health & Hospital Association and the Spectrum Health/Michigan State University Alliance. She also serves on the Grand Valley State University Health Advisory Board and is the delegate for the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board 5. She participates in the Health Management Academy and Healthcare Executive Study Society and serves on the board of directors for Fifth Third Bank Western Michigan, YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids and The Economic Club of Grand Rapids. She also participates in the Talent 2025 CEO Council.

Budden is committed to supporting communities on both sides of the state. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Detroit Economic Club, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Independent Bank Corporation, and Michigan Women’s Foundation. She is also a former board member of the Children’s Center in Detroit, Frederik Meijer Gardens and the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids.

 

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Priority Health is the second largest health plan in Michigan offering a broad portfolio of health benefit options for employer groups and individuals, including Medicare and Medicaid plans. Serving nearly a million members across Michigan, 1,200 employees and over 30 years in business, Priority Health continues to be recognized as a leader for quality, customer service and product innovation. Priority Health is focused on changing the way health care is delivered to make it more affordable and engaging members in their health to be healthy, get healthy and stay healthy.

People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.

Contact:
Sarina Gleason
Media Relations
Phone: 517.256.5618
Email: sarina.gleason@corewellhealth.org