All Things Covid!!!

Cook County Health (CCH) Board Meeting
October 30, 2020

From Public Health to Finances to Human Resources to the Managed Care Program, Cook County Health officials reported that COVID-19 impacted most sectors of the System's operations.  

Public comments:   The League of Women Voters of Cook County and Civic Federation's comments urging the continuation of live streaming and archival recording of board and committee meetings post pandemic was the first to be read - followed by a number of nurses’ statements that Covid-19 testing in the new Blue Island community facility isn't safe due to space limitations and staff shortages. 

Committee/Department Reports:

• Human Resources: The new chair is Mary Driscoll.  312 contract tracing positions are in the recruitment phase with 255 in the interview process and 1 person hired.  Position approval related to Covid and revenue shortfalls has slowed down the hiring activity for non-Covid openings.  Of the 520 positions in H.R., 54% have been approved for active recruitment.  Currently, the average time to fill a position is 91 days against a target of 90 days.  Through September, 622 separations have occurred vs 480 in 2019 - over 100 due to layoffs.
• Managed Care:  The new chair is Vice President, David Menar.  Membership in County Care has consistently increased since the start of COVID and the loss of employer health insurance.  Through October 5, total membership was 373,645 which is 2,000 higher than September and within 500 of the 2020 budget projection.  10.4% or 38,815 of these members use Stroger services.  Illinois Medicaid gives County Care its highest ratings among the Cook County Managed Care Providers.  County Care’s market share in Cook County is 31.4% which is the highest percentage followed by Meridian and Blue Cross Blue Shield at 26% and 25% respectively.
• Quality & Patient Care: The average re-admission rate is 10% which is partly due to COVID.  Patient experience ratings inched up under the “communication with doctors category” and slightly down for “communication with nurses”.  Stroger’s hospital patient recommendation rating is at 70.8%.  Several directors commended the staff for their efforts to get the ratings headed in the right direction.
• Finance:  The board approved the acceptance of four grants totaling over $1.6 million.  Almost $1.5 million is from the city of Chicago for mobile units, Stroger, and Provident contact tracing services.  Directors discussed in detail the one year contract with the Hektoen Institute for Medical Research amounting to almost $2.75 million for temporary staffing services.  The contract would allow for up to 60 new hires including one manager, 8 case investigators, 2 case investigator supervisors, and 50 contact tracers. This number is added to the number hired by Hekteon under a 7-23-20 contract and by the System’s Human Resources Department.  Concerns centered on ensuring appropriate discussions and agreement with the AFSME union.  Assurance of contact and discussion was given, and the board approved the contract but requested follow up. As of August 31:   financial results are ahead of budget by $80 million  Negative variances are expense overages, partly due to COVID-19 costs and the loss of revenue due to reduced volumes.  Patient activity revenues have improved to just 22% lower than normal.  Surgery revenue is even closer to normal.   Recent guidelines of how to calculate revenue loss have changed which may negatively affect the amount of the $153.4 million CARES Act monies that can be kept.  DSH monies may also be in jeopardy as Illinois ran out of money in September.
• Public Health:  The System wants to increase the 2020 flu vaccine uptake, particularly for people at higher risk for serious flu and COVID-19.  It is in a collaborative partnership with 23 health providers.  Regarding its COVID-19 response to date, the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) has investigated over 5,500 cases including over 150 schools with a case or close contact; responded to over 10,000 inquiries; and provided 1,700 individualized recommendations. Compliance efforts in workplaces is ongoing and soon the Department will implement the Worker Protection Program as part of the COVID-19 contact tracing initiative.  This will include conducting pro-active education and outreach to workplaces and workers in Suburban Cook County. In addition, Public Health is planning for COVID-19 vaccinations when the vaccine is available.  Two doses will be needed between 3-4 weeks apart, and it must be the same kind of vaccine for both shots.

Other Items of Interest: 

• Interim CEO, Debra Carey stated that Stroger is one of only two sites in Illinois and one of 24 hospitals in the United States to lead a landmark trial to recruit adults who recently tested positive for COVID-19 to participate in a clinical trial of monoclonal antibodies for the Prevention of Covid-19.  The System is also participating in a Phase III controlled trial for a COVID-19 vaccine known as AZD1222 plus another six trials and studies including being the first hospital in Illinois to participate in a study to understand the effects of COVID-19 on acute myocardial infarction patients.
• In attendance were the three new CCH Board members Robert Currie, Raul Garcia, and Joseph Harrington.
• Moved to the November board meeting is the report from the Audit and Compliance Committee’s special meeting on October 14, 2020 and the report from the Center on Health Equity and Innovation. In addition, Director Guggenheim asked for a report on the COVID-19 mortality numbers of CCH staff.

Observer:  Diane Edmundson                         All 12 board members were present at the 3 hour meeting