Dear Cook County Health friends and partners,

I am excited to announce some recent recognitions for Cook County Health that showcase our continued commitment to elevating care for our patients and the health of the communities we collectively serve.



Cook County Health has received multiple accolades by the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association: Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus , Get with the Guidelines® cardiac accolades, including Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center – Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI – Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, and Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.

The health system was also included on the stroke elite honor roll and Type 2 diabetes honor roll. This is the highest level of recognition the health system has achieved through this program.

Additionally, I am proud that Stroger Hospital has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a high-performing organization in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, heart attack, heart failure, and kidney failure. Hospitals deemed high performing excel in key areas including clinical outcomes, level of nursing care, and patient experience.  

In addition, Stroger Hospital was once again named as the #1 most inclusive hospital in Illinois and #10 most inclusive hospital in the United States by the Lown Institute. The hospital was also recognized as #1 in Illinois for avoiding overuse. 

I am grateful to all of the team members who played a role in achieving these recognitions.

These awards underscore Cook County Health’s dedication to ensuring optimal health outcomes in a medically complex population and to advancing health equity by making high-quality care accessible to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Erik Mikaitis

Interim CEO, Cook County Health

Earlier this month, Cook County Health (CCH) presented its proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Budget. Public hearings on the budget will be held on Friday, August 2 and Monday, August 5. We welcome your input on the impact of CCH’s budget on our communities, and areas for prioritization.

To review the FY 2025 budget presentation or to register as a public speaker (virtual or in-person), visit https://cookcountyhealth.org/about/board-of-directors/budget-information/. 

Cook County Health Updates for the Democratic National Convention

In August, Chicago will host the Democratic National Convention. The DNC is an opportunity to showcase the beauty and strength of the city and Cook County Health (CCH) is proud to support any health-related needs that may arise during the convention while ensuring the provision of ongoing patient care.

The DNC will start on Monday, August 19 and conclude on Thursday, August 22. The televised DNC events will take place during evening hours at the United Center on the West Side, and some related daytime activities will take place at McCormick Place Convention Center on the Near South Side. The city estimates the DNC will attract more than 50,000 visitors to Chicago.

Specific road closure details can be found here. Announced closures are also subject to change.

CCH expects to provide ongoing, safe inpatient and outpatient care through the DNC with minimal interruption.

Patients, visitors, and staff may see increased traffic or other disruptions around CCH’s Central Campus on the West Side, including Stroger Hospital, the Professional Building, Harrison Square and CORE Center, particularly in the afternoon hours. Patients with appointments during the DNC and wish to reschedule or convert to a telehealth visit may call 312-864-0200.

For CCH updates about the DNC, click here.

To sign up for DNC updates from the City of Chicago, click here. 

Do you have a cold, sprain, or rash? Get care from your favorite chair with Cook County Health (CCH) Express Care!

CCH now offers virtual immediate care visits from 11 am to 7 pm, Monday through Sunday to treat basic but pressing health conditions.

This service is available for adults and children of all ages. Interpreters are available for patients who speak Spanish, Polish, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, Hindi and other languages.

Click here to learn more!

On June 27, Cook County Health (CCH) announced the third cohort of Provident Scholarship Fund awardees, students who are pursuing careers in the medical field and are committed to caring for or are living in underserved communities.

Overall, 91 students received scholarships, totaling more than $1 million. It was the largest number of awardees since the program’s inception in 2022.

“When this scholarship fund was created, we had our sights set on creating a more equitable health care system that provides high-quality, culturally competent care for all,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. “These students should be applauded as amidst significant health care challenges in our country, they want to be part of the solution and create more access and equity in health care.”

The federal government projects that in the next decade, the U.S. will have a shortage of more than 330,000 registered nurses, 200,000 therapists and counselors and 140,000 physicians.

“We cannot just sit by and watch these shortages grow. Through this scholarship program, Cook County is taking action to support the development of a robust and representative health care workforce,” Cook County Health Interim CEO Dr. Erik Mikaitis said.

The Provident Scholarship Fund provides $20,000 scholarships to health professional students, including those in doctorate-level medical and dental programs, as well as physician assistant and nurse practitioner programs. The fund also provides $10,000 scholarships to undergraduate and allied health students, including nursing, surgical and radiology technology, respiratory therapy and paramedic programs.  

Applicants were evaluated on their academic achievements and consideration was given to the candidate’s Cook County zip code and where it falls on the Social Vulnerability Index. 

The Provident Scholarship is funded thanks to Cook County Government and Cook County Health, with administrative support from the Cook County Health Foundation.

“To our scholars, you will have important roles as healers in Cook County. I hope you embrace the opportunity to lead in your community. We are proud to support you,” said Cook County Health Foundation Board Chair Joe Flanagan.

The scholarship program is named after Cook County Health’s Provident Hospital. Provident Hospital was founded in 1891 by Dr. Daniel Hale Williams. It was the first hospital in the U.S. that was owned and run by African Americans, and it cared for people of all races. 

The Provident Hospital Scholarship Fund is one of many educational initiatives being supported by Cook County, including Project Rainbow, which aims to inform, inspire, and impact children, students and families across the County. For more information on Project Rainbow visit https://projectrainbow.cookcountyil.gov/.

For more information about the Provident Scholarship Fund, visit https://cookcountyhealth.org/about/careers/provident-scholarship-fund/

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has honored Cook County with 54 achievement awards recognizing innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

“These awards acknowledge the initiatives we have undertaken to ensure that our residents receive vital services and have the opportunity to thrive in our community,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “This record number of awards recognizes our dedicated County employees who launch these critical programs and uplifts Cook County as a national leader.”

The 2024 awards also include one “Best in Category” recognition for Cook County Health’s “Addressing Food Insecurity among Medicaid Members: FoodCare by CountyCare initiative.” As part of a broader health plan strategy to address social drivers of health including food insecurity, CountyCare Health Plan developed the FoodCare program, a nutrition program to improve the health and quality of life of CountyCare members. FoodCare is a no-cost holistic program intended to drive community involvement, address member food insecurity and manage diet-related disease prevalence. 

Check out NACo’s write-up on the program here.

Cook County Health’s winning programs and categories are as follows:  

Health

• Addressing Food Insecurity among Medicaid Members: FoodCare by CountyCare (Cook County Health)
• Food is Medicine (Cook County Health, Commissioner Dennis Deer)
• Heart Institute Excellence Program (Cook County Health)
• How Analytics and Operations Supported CCH’s Mission to Care for New Arrivals (Cook County Health)
• Medicaid Member Demographics Improvement: A Strategy for Engagement (Cook County Health)
• Project REACCH-OUT’s Bridge Clinic (Cook County Health)
• Provident Hospital Growth Program (Cook County Health)
• Sal the Sepsis Sea Otter (Cook County Health)
• The Great Unwinding: Engaging Medicaid Members During Redetermination (Cook County Health)

Human Services

• Promoting Engagement to Enhance Recovery Program (Cook County Health)

Information Technology

• Enhancing Healthcare Access through Express Care Initiative (Cook County Health)

Personnel Management, Employment and Training

• Improving Employee Wellness as a Precursor to Better Patient Outcomes (Cook County Health)
• Provident Scholarship Fund (Cook County Health)

Planning

• The Development of the Population Health Epidemiology Surveillance Program (Cook County Health)

All Medicaid members and Illinois’s Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults/Seniors (HBIA/S) members must go through redetermination each year to renew their health coverage.

The State of Illinois recently announced an extended deadline for HIBA/S redetermination! All HBIA/S members must submit the necessary paperwork before August 15, 2024, or they may lose coverage effective September 1, 2024.

It is critical that we raise awareness about this upcoming deadline to ensure all eligible members successfully complete their redetermination paperwork and keep their health coverage.

HIBA/HBIS members can find their renewal due date and confirm their correct mailing address at abe.illinois.gov in “Manage My Case” or by calling 1-800-843-6154. For in-person support in completing redetermination paperwork, members can go to countycare.com/redetermination/ to join an upcoming event.

All information provided during redetermination is used solely for program operation and will NOT be shared for immigration enforcement purposes.

We know that health insurance is vital to a person’s health. Insured individuals have a lower rate of mortality, fewer serious illnesses, improved health outcomes and better overall well-being.

With coverage through HBIA/S, individuals can more easily access preventive health services, treatment for chronic or acute illnesses, and medications. They don’t have to make difficult decisions about paying out of pocket for health care or paying for other essentials like food or housing.

In fact, Cook County Health’s CountyCare health plan is the only plan that provides free health coverage with no co-pays to HBIA/S members.

Please help us spread the word about HBIA/S redetermination to ensure that our family, friends, and neighbors across Cook County can keep their health coverage and continue to lead their healthiest lives.

Cook County Health closed out Pride Month at the Pride Parade on June 30. The parade concluded several weeks of themed events, including a partnership with Walgreens for National HIV Testing Day and Pride staff events.

In effort to help families get ready for the upcoming school year, Cook County Health held a back-to-school event at the Robbins Health Center on July 19. Physicals, dental screenings, immunizations and more were done.

Cook County Health in the News

Fox 32 Chicago: Unregulated Delta-8 weed poses health risk: 'It turned our lives upside down'

Daily Herald: Cook County wins 54 awards from national association of counties

CBS 2 Chicago: Trauma unit doctors at Chicago hospital say declaration of gun violence as public health crisis is overdue

Telemundo: Cuatro formas fáciles y rápidas de enfriar tu cuerpo en condiciones de calor extremo

WGN Radio: How to stay safe during heat wave

If you would like to invite a representative from CCH to attend a community event, please send an email to events@cookcountyhhs.org.

To provide feedback on CCH Community News, please email Marcelino Garcia, Director of Community Affairs, at mgarcia6@cookcountyhhs.org.