Chicago City Wire

Cook County Health and Hospital System Board of Directors Finance Committee met March 6

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

I. Attendance/Call to Order

Chair Reiter called the meeting to order.

Present: Chair Robert G. Reiter, Jr. and Directors Joseph M. Harrington and Maya Green, MD, MPH, FACHE (3)

Present Remotely: Director Commissioner Bill Lowry (1)

Absent: Director Sam A Robinson, III, PhD (1)

Director Harrington, seconded by Director Green, moved to allow Director Lowry to remotely participate as a voting member in this meeting. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Additional attendees and/or presenters were:

Shannon Andrews – Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer

Donnica Austin-Cathey – Chief Hospital Executive – Stroger Hospital

Win Buren – Chief Human Resources Officer

Pamela Cassera – Chief Financial Officer

R.J. Dabney – Associate Chief Human Resources Officer

Charles Jones – Chief Procurement Officer

Rudolf Kumapley, MD – Interim Chief Medical Officer

Jeff McCutchan – General Counsel

Erik Mikaitis, MD –Chief Executive Officer

Angela O’Banion – Chief Information Officer

Alisha Patel – Assistant General Counsel

Jennifer Rozenich – Director of Planning and Analysis

Deborah Santana – Secretary to the Board

Mark Spranca, PhD – Chief Scientific Officer

Craig Williams – Chief Administrative Officer

The next regular meeting of the Finance Committee is scheduled for Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 10:00 A.M.

II. Public Speaker Testimony

There was no public testimony presented.

III. Action Items

A. Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting, February 7, 2025

Chair Reiter inquired whether any corrections were needed to be made to the Minutes.

Director Harrington, seconded by Director Green, moved to accept Item III(A) the Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting of February 7, 2025. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

B. Any Action Items listed under Section III, IV and V

IV. Items under Chief Procurement Officer

A. Action Items: Contracts and Procurement Items

The following individuals provided an overview of the contractual requests presented for the Committee’s consideration. The Committee reviewed and discussed the requests.

1-4 Clinical Dr. Rudolf Kumapley – Interim Chief Medical Officer

5-9 Equity & Inclusion Shannon Andrews - Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer

10-12 Health Information Systems (HIS) Angela O’Banion – Chief Information Officer

13-14 Human Resources R.J. Dabney – Associate Chief Human Resources Officer

15-22 Operations & Development Craig Williams – Chief Administrative Officer

23 Quality Jennifer Rozenich – Director of Planning and Analysis

24-30 Stroger Hospital Donnica Austin-Cathey – Chief Hospital Executive, Stroger Hospital

31 HIS Angela O’Banion – Chief Information Officer

Director Harrington, seconded by Director Green, moved to approve Item IV(A) Contracts and Procurement Items containing request numbers 1 through 31, subject to completion of review by Contract Compliance. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

B. Report of Emergency Purchases – two (2) were presented

Charles Jones, Chief Procurement Officer, provided an overview of the two (2) Emergency Purchases recently made. The Committee reviewed and discussed the information.

V. Items under the Chief Financial Officer

A. Action Items: Receive and file CCH Grant Award-Related Items

Pamela Cassera, Chief Financial Officer, provided an overview of the Grant Award-Related Items.

Director Harrington, seconded by Director Green, moved to receive and file Item V(B) the CCH Grant Award-Related Items. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

B. Report –January Financials

Ms. Cassera provided an overview of the January Financials. The Committee reviewed and discussed the information.

Director Green inquired regarding efforts to increase telehealth options, and wondered if telehealth visits are available to those who speak other languages. Dr. Erik Mikaitis, Chief Executive Officer, responded that the same translation services for in-person services are also available for telehealth visits; perhaps that available feature can be communicated more widely.

V. Items under the Chief Financial Officer (continued)

Director Lowry noted that in 2024, 56% of patient revenue came from Medicaid; one-third (1/3) of Cook County residents are enrolled in Medicaid, so any cuts to the Medicaid program will affect every demographic. He asked if CCH has a campaign planned for outreach, to let Congress know how potential cuts to Medicaid will affect all of us. Chair Reiter suggested that the Intergovernmental Affairs team provide updates to Directors as available.

Director Green, suggested that, in anticipation of potential cuts to Medicaid program, and for those patients who are taking lifesaving medications, it would be good if there is an opportunity to identify those who might get dropped from coverage, to be able to get them a prescription for a supply of medications greater than 30 days.

VI. Informational Report

A. Monthly Report – Agency Reduction Plan

Craig Williams, Chief Administrative Officer, and Win Buren, Chief Human Resources Officer, provided an overview of the report. Dr. Mark Spranca, Chief Scientific Officer, reviewed information on the Hektoen transition. The Committee reviewed and discussed the information.

During the review of slide 4 (Current State of Agency Usage), Chair Reiter noted that some positions listed an associated union, and some do not; he inquired whether those positions that did not have an associated union listed are union positions. Mr. Williams responded affirmatively; he stated that future slides will include that information.

VII. Adjourn

As the agenda was exhausted, Chair Reiter declared the meeting ADJOURNED.

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