A Letter from Claudia Williams

Dear Friends,  

As my time wraps up at Manifest MedEx, I’ve been reflecting on all that we’ve accomplished and the opportunities that lie ahead. You’re in wonderful hands with Erica Galvez as interim CEO, and I have deep confidence in the amazing Manifest MedEx team.  

My career has focused on building transformative systems for healthcare change. And that is what we have built together over the last five years. Manifest MedEx is an innovative, impactful non-profit health data utility serving more than 32 million Californians — and a network of over 125 hospitals, 11 health plans and 1,500 ambulatory partners — poised to be an engine of transformation for healthcare in California.  

We’re at a moment of real strength and opportunity. Manifest MedEx is delivering nearly 1.5 million real-time hospital encounter alerts (ADTs) each month — crucial information that supports care coordination for patients most in-need. The Governor’s ambitious CalAIM initiative and public health modernization plans will be fueled by the type of accurate and timely population health data that MX provides. And California’s Data Exchange Framework, which goes into effect in January 2023, will provide needed policy impetus for broad data sharing across the state. It is exciting to envision where we will be a year from now.  

We have all chosen sacred roles supporting health. Some of us care for individuals and communities. Some, like me, build systems and infrastructure. Through these roles, we have an intimate view of all that is hopeful and all that is deeply broken in America today. Let us not be observers. Let us be bold agents of change. My dearest hope is that Manifest MedEx will be a platform for rapid momentum towards the future of health, connectedness, self-determination, and equity our families and communities urgently need. 

Many of you have asked, what’s next in my career? For the next few months, I will be on sabbatical, taking a cue from Jerry Colonna: “sabbatical is a time of thinking differently, of considering things differently.” I am reading and reflecting on systems change, emergence and leadership at mid-life. I will also be traveling, writing, and spending lots of time with family and friends. 

After that, I will be launching a new chapter of my career building transformative systems for healthcare change. I’m not sure what that will be yet but look forward to connecting with all of you to explore what is emerging and needed today.  

I am so grateful to you, the team at Manifest MedEx, our Board, and our partners across the entire state, for the incredible progress we have made since 2017. While I am leaving my role at the end of this month, I will be with you in spirit as you continue this important work forward.  

Thank you,