Herman Gray, M.D., M.B.A., chair of the Wayne State University Department of Pediatrics, served on the opening panel and presented to the audience at the recent summit of the state of Michigan’s Infant Mortality Committee.

Dr. Gray, a member of the committee, also introduced Gov. Gretchen Whitmer during the March 12 event.

This year's summit featured three overarching themes, each of which provided opportunities to hear from clinicians, public health professionals and community leaders with high-impact presentations on improving maternal and infant vitality.

With Cheryl Larry-Osman, R.N., and Melinda Johnson, M.D., Dr. Gray took part in a panel presentation titled “Telling Stories: Truth, Lies, and the Narratives We Build,” in which the members shared their personal stories of persistent health inequities and gaps in maternal and infant care.

Dr. Gray, in presenting “Michigan is Creating the Blueprint for Zero Preventable Deaths and Zero Health Disparities,” walked the audience through maternal and infant health trends beginning from the 1980s, detailing the lessons learned and the importance of aligning efforts for greater impact. He included an overview of statewide initiatives to connect clinical, community and public health initiatives that promote health equity and strategies to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

In addition to serving as chair of WSU Pediatrics, Dr. Gray has served as chief medical consultant for the Michigan Department of Community Health - Children's Special Health Services, and as vice president and medical director of Clinical Affairs for Blue Care Network. A child and family advocate, he has been honored numerous times for his humanitarian efforts related to pediatric health care, particularly with children with special needs. He has served on a variety of state and national committees and organizations, and is one of the founding commissioners of the U.S. Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission.

Robert Sokol, M.D., dean emeritus and distinguished professor emeritus of Obstetrics and Gynecology and of Physiology of the Wayne State University School of Medicine, also presented at the summit. He and Amy Zaagman, M.P.A., presented “What’s Being Done in Michigan to Improve Maternal Health,” identifying efforts at the state level and joint participation engagement efforts to improve maternal health in the state.

Dr. Sokol chairs the Michigan Medical Maternal Mortality Committee and co-leads the Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, which works to decrease maternal mortality and morbidity by working with birthing hospitals to implement the AIM Obstetric Hemorrhage and Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy safety bundles. The bundles help improve health outcomes for mothers by combating the leading causes of preventable maternal mortality.