Cook County Health • System News • December 2024

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December 2024

Letter from the CEO

Dear Cook County Health friends and partners,

While the year may be coming to a close, Cook County Health is busier than ever.

The month of December has been filled with events and announcements in preparation for 2025.

You can find more details below, but here are the top news-making announcements from the past few weeks:

Provident Hospital was recognized by The Leapfrog Group as a Top General Hospital in the state. Provident was one of four hospitals in Illinois to receive this distinction!
Cook County Health announced the development of a doula program to help pregnant patients.
Provident Hospital opened an 11-bed observation short-stay unit. The unit will help streamline care for patients who come to the emergency department and need to be observed but may not need to be admitted.

I am incredibly grateful to our team members who are working to ensure that the patients who count on us have access to the care they need.

I am also thankful to you for your partnership in promoting the important work we do. By engaging with your members and constituents, you help connect people with the care and services they need. It is a privilege to partner with you to bring health and wellbeing to the communities we collectively serve!

I wish you and yours a wonderful and healthy holiday season, and a peaceful New Year!

Sincerely,

Dr. Erik Mikaitis

CEO, Cook County Health

Provident Hospital Earns 2024 Leapfrog Top Hospital Award for Outstanding Quality and Safety

Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, Cook County Health’s Provident Hospital was named a Top General Hospital by The Leapfrog Group.

Announced on December 17, the Leapfrog Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive. The Top Hospital designation is bestowed by The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers known as the toughest standard-setters for health care safety and quality.

“Recognition from The Leapfrog Group acknowledges the modern, high-quality care being provided at Provident Hospital. Our residents deserve to receive exceptional health care regardless of their zip code or income. This announcement demonstrates that accessibility and quality are both achievable when investments are made in our public health systems,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

The Top Hospital award underscores Provident Hospital’s rich legacy of excellence as the first hospital in the nation owned and operated by African Americans. Click here to learn more about Provident Hospital’s history.

“Provident Hospital is a Chicago institution, providing care to generations of families for more than 130 years,” said Cook County Commissioner Bill Lowry, Chair of Cook County’s Health & Hospitals Committee and Vice Chair of the Cook County Health Board of Directors. “Residents on the Southside can be proud to know that their community hospital is acknowledged for its care quality and safety at the national level.”

“This award is a testament to the unwavering dedication, compassion and expertise of our entire Provident team. They demonstrate their commitment to quality and improvement day-in and day-out. It is an honor for The Leapfrog Group to celebrate their hard work and passion for making a difference in the lives of our patients,” said Dr. Erik Mikaitis, CEO, Cook County Health.

Provident Hospital is one of 4 hospitals, and only Top General hospital, to be recognized in Illinois in 2024.

For more information, click here.

Doula Program Being Established at Stroger Hospital

On December 3, Cook County Health was joined by Cook County leaders to celebrate the doula program being established at Stroger Hospital.

CCH plans to welcome 10 doulas, who are trained to empower and support birthing parents, to the hospital in early 2025. Doulas will provide parents and families with emotional, physical and educational support during pregnancy and labor as well as after delivery.

Cook County Health is grateful to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, who led efforts to secure funding for the doula program.

Cook County Health Opens 11-Bed Short-Stay Observation Unit at Provident Hospital

Cook County Health (CCH) is proud to announce the opening of an observation unit at Provident Hospital, part of Cook County’s continued investment in the historic South Side hospital.

“Cook County Health continues to make important investments at Provident Hospital to ensure patients have access to the comprehensive, compassionate health care they deserve, right in their neighborhood,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. “I am grateful to the work the team at Provident is doing to elevate services and close the health equity gap on Chicago’s South Side.”

The new 11-bed short-stay observation unit is for patients who come to the Provident Hospital Emergency Department but may not require full inpatient care. Providers can also streamline imaging, testing, and treatment for patients under observation, enhancing the patient experience and improving efficiency.

Provident Hospital has 45 staffed inpatient beds and sees more than 28,000 emergency department visits each year. The build-out of the new observation unit cost more than $800,000.

“We are proud of Provident Hospital’s essential role as a cornerstone of health and wellbeing for our community,” said Dr. Erik Mikaitis, CEO, Cook County Health. “The new observation unit will enhance our patients’ healing and optimize hospital resources, and represents just one of the many investments we are making in the Provident campus.”

Five Cook County Health Doctors Named to Chicago Magazine Top Doctors List

Cook County Health is proud to announce that five physicians have been named to Chicago Magazine’s annual Top Doctors List.

The list of nearly 1,400 doctors is compiled by Castle Connolly, a health care research and information company.

Congratulations to:

Dr. Michael C. Giovingo, Ophthalmology
Dr. Elizabeth A. Marcus, Surgical Oncology
Dr. Bosco Margeta, Cardiology
Dr. Sharon Welbel, Infectious Disease
Dr. Lisa S. Thompson, Ophthalmology

Cook County Health Celebrates First Class of Graduates from EMT Apprenticeship Program

Cook County Health was joined by Cook County Government leaders, and representatives from Superior Ambulance and JumpHire to celebrate the first cohort of graduates from Cook County Health’s Emergency Medicine Technician (EMT) Apprenticeship Program.

The program, funded through U.S. Department of Labor dollars secured by Senator Dick Durbin, is a 15-week collaborative internship with paid on-the-job training that prepares participants for emergency medical services (EMS) employment opportunities.

Seventeen participants graduated from the program. All apprentices who pass the licensure exam will receive employment opportunities with Superior Ambulance.

Cook County Health partnered with JumpHire, which helped with outreach and recruitment of apprentices and provided coaching and retention services, and Superior Air/Ambulance Services, which facilitated the EMT training, for the program. The course lasted 15 weeks and included classroom instruction and ambulance ride time. Apprentices were provided a stipend and support services to assist in their training.

Stroger Hospital Receives Toy Donation

Cook County Commissioner Bill Lowry, vice chair of the Cook County Health Board of Directors, alongside Sharon Preston, Flags of the Heart founder, and a representative from Toys for Tots, came to Stroger Hospital with more than 200 toys on December 16 for distribution to Cook County Health pediatric patients.

“Donations like this are critical for boosting the morale of our children, which in turn can help their recovery,” said Dr. Mopeopla Akintorin, chair of pediatrics at Cook County Health.

Updates from the Cook County Department of Public Health

Cook County Department of Public Health Launches New Resource for Pregnant Parents

The Cook County Department of Public Health has launched a new maternal child health microsite called, Every Mother Every Child. This new virtual one-stop-shop is designed to support patients and clinicians, providing them with direct access to evidence-based information at every stage of pregnancy.

Developed by a team of dedicated nurses, this microsite offers a wealth of resources for those who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant and their partners, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.

Upcoming Free Flu and COVID Vaccine Clinics

It’s time to bust another myth: You don’t need a flu shot every year. Let’s set the record straight: You DO need a flu shot every year. Here’s why...The flu virus changes constantly. Each year the vaccine is updated to target those strains expected to circulate that season. Think of it like updating software on your phone: Last year’s version just won’t cut it anymore!

Visit your healthcare provider or join the Cook County Department of Public Health at one of their free seasonal vaccination clinics.

Cold Weather Safety Reminders

Cook County Health and the Cook County Office of Emergency Management joined together for an interactive discussion on cold weather safety.

Cook County Health officials offered reminders about frostbite and general burn safety heading into the cold winter months, while Cook County EMRS discussed the importance of emergency kits and preparedness.

You can watch the full discussion here.

To receive text message updates about severe weather and other emergent events, subscribe to AlertCook by texting “alertcook” to 888-777.

Take a Transportation and Safety Survey

The Cook County Safety Action Plan is a roadmap for improving traffic safety by reducing the risk of death and serious injury on our roads, particularly for people walking and biking in communities with disproportionately high rates of crashes. Completing this safety plan is an important next step for Cook County and its municipalities to access more federal funding to implement changes that will keep people safer on our roads. Help shape the plan now in two ways:

Take the 10-minute survey: You know your roads better than anyone, share your experience at: bit.ly/CCSAPSurvey
Visit the website to mark unsafe locations on an interactive map and sign up for project updates: https://engage.cmap.illinois.gov/cook