Board of Directors

Health

Friday, Feb. 25, 2022
9:00 a.m. CST

Remote

This is a remote assignment. To access the remote meeting, go to Cook County Health’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Cookcountyhhs.

The live stream should appear at that link, at the top of the feed, though it may not appear until at or a few minutes after the scheduled start time. If you don’t see it right away, wait a few moments and try refreshing the page.

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Al Walker

Nursing shortages, Health equity, Food access

View notes

Live reporting by Tracy Brannstrom

Nursing shortages, Health equity, Food access

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom

Hi, I’ll be live-tweeting today’s Cook County Health and Hospitals System Board of Directors meeting for #ChiDocumenters @ChiDocumenters. The meeting is scheduled to start at 9am CT. The agenda can be found here: cookcountyhealth.org/wp-content/upl…

09:01 AM Feb 25, 2022 CST

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 2/13

In public testimony, union employees ask the board to urge Cook County to replenish funding for healthcare professionals who become sick with COVID-19. In 2020, they could get 80 hours of paid leave. That was extended in 2021, but not 2022, even as the pandemic continues.

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 3/13

Joyce Ball, a registered nurse at Provident Hospital, says that while CCHHS has requested $64.1M for nursing agency contracts, these contracts cost tax payers more $ than retaining current RNs. She says CCHHS “has done nothing to retain [currently employed] staff.”

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 4/13

Cook County Health nurses have periodically engaged in strikes over staffing and contract negotiations. Like this past summer, when they said that staffing shortages were severely affecting patient care:
nbcchicago.com/news/local/coo…

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 5/13

Interim CEO Aaron Galeener said that 48% of Cook County has received at least 1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and this has been increasing 1-2% each week

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 6/13

Dr. Yvonne Collins presents data on cook county zip codes that are disproportionately impacted by health inequities. Residents on the South + West sides, and South suburbs, are most in need of primary care + urgent care centers, which could lessen the use of CCHHS hospitals

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 7/13

Collins says that residents in zip codes with the highest rates of rental assistance programs are less likely to see primary care providers

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 8/13

Collins says that issues of access need to be addressed: patients w/ cook county managed care plans want appointments on evenings + weekends, and they want services consolidated into single appointments instead of scheduling multiple visits

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 9/13

Collins said that housing assistance, employment programs & food insecurity programs are needed to reduce health disparities in Cook County. She said that in 60620 (Auburn Gresham), 41% of Managed Care members are food insecure

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 10/13

She said that her research team was surprised by how many Managed Care members qualify for SNAP (food assistance), but don't have it. She said that education around how to apply, is needed

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 11/13

Collins emphasizes that there is "CLEAR data" that links food insecurity and housing access to health outcomes. High blood pressure, diabetes and other health issues will decrease when poverty is addressed, she says.

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 12/13

The board voted to pass 28 contracts + purchases, including: $64.1M for nursing contract services, $9.7M contracts for kidney care programs, $6.6M for actuarial services, $6.4M for laundry services.

tracy brannstrom @t_brannstrom 13/13

This concludes the Cook County Health and Hospitals System Board of Directors meeting, at 10:47am.

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Agency Information

Cook County Health and Hospitals System

cookcountyhealth.org

(312) 864-1112

dsantana@cookcountyhealth.org

@CookCtyHealth ‏

Facebook page

See Documenters reporting

The Cook County Health and Hospitals System is charged with delivering integrated health services with dignity and respect regardless of a patient’s ability to pay; fostering partnerships with other health providers and communities to enhance the health of the public; and advocating for policies that promote the physical, mental and social well being of the people of Cook County. The CCHHS Board of Directors is a 9-member committee with five standing committees: Audit and Compliance Committee; Finance Committee; Human Resources Committee; Quality and Patient Safety Committee; and Managed Care Committee.

Remote meetings are live-streamed via Youtube.

In-person meetings: If you drive, be sure to allow for extra time, as finding parking in the Medical District can be challenging. There is limited space in the Stroger parking garage and some on-street parking on Wood, Ogden and some surrounding streets. Alternatively, you can park at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (1100 S Hamilton Ave, Chicago, IL 60612) and there is continual shuttle service to Stroger campus.