Michigan Medicine, the academic medical centre affiliated with the University of Michigan, has appointed Anika Gardenhire as its first Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO), establishing a new C-suite position dedicated to leading digital strategy and information management at one of the nation’s top-ranked health systems. The announcement, made on January 27, 2026, reflects Michigan Medicine’s commitment to accelerating digital innovation while maintaining its leadership in clinical care, research, and education.

Gardenhire joins from her previous role as Chief Digital Officer at a large academic health system in the Midwest, where she successfully unified digital, informatics, and analytics functions, drove cloud-first migrations, implemented enterprise AI governance frameworks, and launched patient-facing digital tools that improved access and engagement. Her experience spans strategic planning, cybersecurity leadership, data governance, and cross-functional transformation in complex healthcare environments.

In her new role, Gardenhire will oversee Michigan Medicine’s entire digital and information ecosystem, including:

• Enterprise IT infrastructure and cybersecurity
• Clinical and research informatics
• Data analytics and AI strategy
• Digital patient experience platforms (MyUofMHealth app, virtual care, patient portals)
• Interoperability and health information exchange
• Digital innovation lab and emerging technology pilots

Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, she will integrate previously distributed teams into a single, cohesive digital function to eliminate silos, accelerate decision-making, and align technology investments with strategic priorities such as precision health, value-based care, and research acceleration.

Dr. Marschall Runge, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the U-M Medical School, said: “Anika’s proven ability to lead large-scale digital transformation in academic medicine makes her the ideal leader for this critical new role. As healthcare becomes increasingly data- and technology-driven, we need unified leadership to ensure our digital strategy supports exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, and operational excellence.”

Gardenhire emphasised a collaborative, clinician-led approach: “Digital health succeeds when it solves real problems for patients and providers not when it adds complexity. I’m excited to work with Michigan Medicine’s world-class teams to build intuitive, secure, and impactful digital experiences that make care smarter, safer, and more accessible.”

The creation of the CDIO role aligns with trends across major U.S. academic health centres, where digital transformation has shifted from IT support to a strategic executive function reporting at the highest levels. Gardenhire’s appointment is expected to accelerate Michigan Medicine’s adoption of AI for clinical decision support, predictive analytics, operational efficiency, and research acceleration while strengthening cybersecurity and data governance in an era of increasing threats.