Cook County Health (CCH) Board Committee Meetings

CCH Quality and Patient Safety Committee 
April 19, 2024 

• The Operation Excellence (OpEx) workgroups from Stroger, Provident and Ambulatory and Community Health Network (ACHN) provided updates.  At Stroger, progress is being made on both lowering central line and catheter infections and decreasing Pulmonary Embolism and Deep Vein Thrombosis occurrences. Provident Hospital has also shown improvement in their goals. Sepsis occurrence has decreased and hand hygiene has improved. 
• The Stroger OpEx readmissions workgroup reported lowering the readmission rate for Congestive Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients. Since these diagnoses are common, they were chosen to start this goal. The work will also be extended to less common but high readmission rate diagnoses.
• The various factors identified as problematic were presented along with changes made to ameliorate them. The Ambulatory services (ACHN) have explored how to get patients’ blood pressure under control. It was found that there were inconsistencies in how blood pressure readings were determined. The standard for ACHN is to take the reading 3 times and average it. The procedure is to make sure the patient is comfortable and positioned properly. It was found that newer staff in the specialty clinics were not aware of the procedure and have now been trained. They also developed an algorithm that allows the nursing staff to change doses.
• ​Both hospitals are due for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of HealthCare Organizations (JCAHO) surveys later this year and are preparing. Mock surveys were done in January. There were very few comments from committee members and no closed session. Items to Watch for in the Future: JCAHO preparation.                                                                            

Observer: Lisa Slankard

​Managed Care Committee
April 19, 2024

• Metrics - 442,652 total members [well above budget projections].     13,849 ACHN Members [5.4%]  
•  It continues to be the leading Managed Medicare Plan in CC with 32.3%.  BC/SH is next with 27.6% market share. The CountyCare staff received kudos for its 80% Redetermination rate and its marketing and outreach efforts including billboards along the expressways.  
• ​CountyCare Access (health benefits for immigrant adults and seniors) - Effective January 1, 1013, Immigrant Medicaid members residing in CC have been auto-assigned to CountyCare except for those with a family member in another plan.  To date, a total of 34,679 have been enrolled.  79% are in the adult category [vs seniors].
• Healthy Choice Illinois RFP  - The RFP by the State has been delayed for a year.  The new expiration date for the State’s approval of CountyCare is December 2026, and a new contract would start January 1, 2027.
• Quality and Equity Choice Campaign  - Primary care engagement strategies will focus on adults 18-24.  Equity efforts will start with smoking cessation via education and prevention.  Other efforts center around the food care project, the flexible housing pool with a goal to provide permanent housing and wrap around services to 58 participants.  Clinical Services will focus on accomplishments particularly with behavioral health participants.

Observer:  Diane Edmundson