The meeting was called to order at 7:40 a.m. by Chairman
Batts and lasted two hours, until 9:40 a.m. before going into closed session to
consider Human Resources concerns. The main focus of the meeting was to
acknowledge the contributions of the outgoing board members and to welcome the
incoming members.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle expressed
thanks to those leaving, particularly to Chairman Warren Batts for bringing in
Dr. Ram Raju; Ruth Rothstein, Sister Sheila Lyne, Dr. David Ansell, and Benn
Greenspan. Dr. Raju spoke of the
committee’s beginning in June 2008 with early meetings, evenings, town hall
meetings, working with no “playbook”, laying the foundation for healthcare in Cook County,
and commended all members for their hard, successful work.
Additional commendations and thanks were presented by Kevin
Scanlon, president of the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council; Dr. David
Goldberg, president of the medical staff at Stroger Hospital; Dr. Larry Goodman
of Rush/Pres. St. Lukes; commissioner Jerry Butler; former CCHHS chairman
William Foley; acting chairman Jorge Ramirez; committee members Munoz, Goldman,
O’Donnell, and Carvalho; outgoing Chairman Warren Batts; and nominating
committee member Lawrence Msall, President of the Civic Federation. Resolutions
honoring Warren Batts, Dr. David Ansell, Benn Greenspan PhD, Sister Sheila
Lyne, and Ruth Rothstein were approved.
New members Edward Michael, executive vice president of diagnostics
at Abbott Laboratories (one-year term); Doreen Wiese, president of the American
Indian Association of Illinois; and Carmen Valasquez, executive director of
Alivio Medical Center, were introduced.
New member Rev. Calvin Morris, executive director of the Community
Renewal Society, was not in attendance.
Two mental health workers from Cermak Clinic expressed
concern that applications for continuing education have yet to be
accepted. They proposed that continuing
education for current mental health workers be optional. Drs. Ramirez and Munoz will meet to consider
this request.
Quinn Golden will serve as interim Chair of the Human
Resources Committee, Jerry Butler as interim chair of Patient Quality and
Safety. Attorney Helen Hayes proposed
that cost items of $150k or more go to the board in a package to present early
in the fiscal year, so the board may have an overview of providers and
approximate costs.
John Morales, CFO of Stroger Hospital, proposed that Cook
County/CCHHS lease property at 600 S. Hoyne to accommodate 38 staff to register
and process new Medicaid recipients. Randall Mark, CCHHS Director of
Intergovernmental Affairs and Policy, clarified that the county, not the state,
will bear any cost for implementing the Medicaid waiver program.
Warren Batts cautioned that though the news of the
Healthcare bill is good, we must bring costs under control: “Greece is in better shape than we
are.”
Linda Christianson
LWVCC Observer
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