About

Dr. Duane J. DiFranco, MD, is a psychiatrist, innovator, and former healthcare executive with over 25 years of experience at the intersection of behavioral health, technology, and managed care.

As Senior Medical Director at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, he led utilization management strategy, behavioral health integration, and policy development for millions of members. Earlier, as a faculty psychiatrist at the University of Michigan, he co-developed one of the first patient portals for behavioral health, shaping the way clinicians and patients connect.

Now, through DDMD Advisory, Dr. DiFranco partners with organizations at the cutting edge of healthcare innovation — from digital health startups to established payers and providers — to bring deep clinical expertise, health plan perspective, and strategic insight.

He is especially passionate about bridging the cultural and operational gap between health plans, providers, and technology developers — ensuring solutions are not only clinically sound, but also scalable, adoptable, and aligned with market realities.