Please see below for the statement of Frank Borgers, Legislative Analyst for the National Nurses Organizing Committee.

Attached below are notes on the Legislation committee meeting of the Board of Commissioners, held on February 2nd

Janice Benson, The President of the Medical Staff of Stroger Hospital, AFSCME council 31, and the Doctors council, SEIU released statements on the proposed cuts in the Cook County Budget.  Attached below are the full statements

The Cook County Health and Hospitals System Board of Directors held its fourth meeting on Thursday, August 7th. The following is a brief summary of the new Health Board's meeting:

David Small, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System, reported that the Illinois Department of Public Health had not reached a reaccreditation decision regarding the perinatal program at Stroger Hospital, due to concerns raised during previous evaluations that had still not been addressed.

Four more members were approved for the Cook County Board of Health on May 28th. The approved candidates were: Dr. David Ansell, Dr. Luis Munoz, Sister Sheila Lyne, and Warren Batts.

The confirmed 11 member board is as follows:

Chicago Tribune, May 20, 2008

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger to offer 4 more names for health-review board

Letter with names will be given to commissioners Tuesday, spokesman says.

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has picked four new candidates to serve on an independent board to run the county's beleaguered public-health system, softening criticism of his original slate.

The Emergency Network will hold a news conference detailing the newly-enacted ordinance to reform governance and operations of the Cook County Bureau of Health Services.

WHO: Leaders of the Emergency Network to Save Cook County Health Services, a coalition of 70 organizations dedicated to reforming and restoring the Cook County Bureau of Health Services, and Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin.

WHEN: 11:15 a.m.
Tuesday, March 4th

WHERE: Chicago Temple/2nd Floor
77 W. Washington
Chicago, IL 60602

Thanks to everyone and especially Commissioner Larry Ssuffredin for all your hard work. A budget for Cook County was passed late Friday Night, February 29th, that will implement a new governance structure for CCBHS.

The Budget settlement negotiated calls for a sales tax increase of 1% and a newly created independent Governance Board for the Bureau of Health. Board Chairman Stroger had initially called for a 2% tax increase and indicated that he would shut down Cook County Government services unless his sales tax increase passed.

Presidents Day Rally
Monday, February 18th
10am sharp!
Chicago Temple - 77 West Washington

SPEAK OUT AGAINST FURTHER CUTS!

A drastic 13% across the board cut has been proposed for the Cook County Bureau of Health Services.

We can't survive more cuts! Let's show Cook County Commissioners that we care about our public health care system!

We are asking EVERYONE to turn out - you, your friends, your family and your children!
Save the Cook County Health Care System - Someday you may need it to save YOU!

Published in the Chicago Tribune, Editorials, 1/29/2008 

The Cook County hospital system is sick and the cure has been apparent for years: The system needs to be run by professionals, not politicians who've tolerated decades of patronage and jaw-dropping inefficiency.