Health and Hospital Systems Board Meeting, August 9, 2012

The meeting was called to order by Acting Chairman Jorge Ramirez.  A vote of the membership chose David Carvalho as Chairman and Ramirez as Vice-Chairman, each a one-year term.  Carvalho, a deputy director for the Illinois Department of Public Health, then chaired the meeting. The four new board members introduced themselves: (1) Carmen Velasquez, executive director of Alivio Medical Center; (2) Rev. Calvin Morris, retired executive director of the Community Renewal Society; (3) Dr. Doreen Wiese, president of the American Indian Association of Illinois; and (4) Ed Michael, retired executive vice president of diagnostics at Abbott Laboratories.  Carvalho asked that new members identify their committee preferences, and reminded them that “we are serving ALL residents without respect to their ability to pay.”  The audit was approved, noting that there had been major improvements since 4 years ago.

Gina Besenhofer, system director, supply chain, presented contracts for approval, including contracts to procure (1) Stryker knee systems; (2) HIV genotyping by Siemens Healthcare; (3) temporary admin staffing; (4) translation of remittance notices into format useful to hospital system; (5) maintenance and repairs at CCHHS; (6) PET/CT imaging; (7) radiopharmaceuticals to nuclear medicine departments; (8) maintenance of AIX mainframe by IBM; (9) courier services to pick up patient fluid samples; (10) professional services for 2 clinical pharmacists; (11) physical, occupational and speech therapy; (12) maintenance of Pysix drug dispensing equipment; (13) maintenance of HVAC system; (14) orthopedic surgery services from residents at Midwestern University.   The board members posed questions concerning competitive bidding process, costs, reasons for needing the services, duration of contracts, compliance with Minority and Women-Owned Business Ordinance requiring that providers must comply directly or indirectly with provision that they be 25% minority-owned and 10% women-owned.  Carvalho explained CCHHS participation in GPO, a Group Purchasing Organization, with other hospitals nationally to secure better pricing.  Dr. Raju said CCHHS now has a new computerized monitoring system for contracts.  All contracts were approved by the board.

Dr. Raju addressed the $152m budget gap.  Some of the deficit will be offset by the Medicaid waiver (still pending); improved physician billing and collection; IT changes; and consolidation of billing. When will the CCHHS budget be ready for approval by the full Cook County board?  The finance committee will meet soon, then submit its budget for approval by the full CCHHS board.  Carvalho pointed out the importance of having the CCHHS board involved in negotiations with the full Cook County board, not cut out of the process and informed at the end.

Anna Ashcraft, Director of Real Estate Management for Cook County, explained that the ground floor of Oak Forest Hospital will be renovated by December as a regional health center. Additionally, 176 acres of Oak Forest property were conveyed to the forest preserve district, now to become Oak Forest Heritage Preserve, opening this fall, to be entered through the Oak Forest Hospital entrance where parking will be available.

The board adjourned to closed session at 10 a.m.

Submitted by Linda Christianson, League Observer