The Cook County Health Board of Directors today unanimously appointed John Jay Shannon, MD, as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Shannon’s start date as CEO will be June 29. He has served as the interim CEO for the last three months, while continuing to serve as Chief of Clinical Integration.

Dr. Shannon is an area native with strong ties to the Cook County Health (CCH).

“The CCH Board of Directors is confident that we have selected the right person to lead the System through its path of transformation,” said Board Chairman David Carvalho. “Dr. Shannon’s experience at several world-renowned public health care systems, his familiarity with all that is exemplary at Cook County and knowledge of what needs to change, make him the perfect person for this position.”

Dr. Shannon grew up in LaGrange, Illinois. He received his medical degree from Rush Medical College and trained in internal medicine at University of Texas Southwestern Affiliated Hospitals in Dallas. He later received specialty training in 肺的 and critical care medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor.

Dr. Shannon first joined the CCH medical staff in 1990. He has served in various, progressive leadership roles, including director of the Adult 哮喘 Clinic, an Associate Chair of the Department of Medicine and Chief of the Divisions of 肺 and Critical Care Medicine at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital.

Dr. Shannon was the Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas from 2007-2012. In 2013 he rejoined CCH to serve as the Chief of Clinical Integration, a position in which he organized CCH resources to deliver better patient care, oversaw professional health education and helped strategically position the leadership team within the health system.

“I am excited about the opportunity to serve as the Cook County Health CEO,” Shannon said. “I am extremely gratified by the board’s vote of confidence and fortunate to be in a position that allows me to continue giving back to an institution that has given me so much. I look forward to leading the health system during these challenging and promising times.”

CCH is the third largest public health system in the country. With more than 6,000 employees and a budget of $1 billion, CCH provides care to hundreds of thousands of Cook County residents at more than 20 sites. With the advent of CountyCare, an early expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, the health system also is operating a health plan for low-income adults. CountyCare is expanding its eligible membership population to children, seniors, and persons with disabilities.

“The transformation of the health system is not complete,” Carvalho said. “CountyCare has successfully provided coverage to more than 100,000 low-income residents. But the ultimate success of the program hinges on our ability to manage member care in a more cost effective manner, with better outcomes and an improved patient experience. This is no small task. And we believe Dr. Shannon is up to the challenge.”

Dr. Shannon was selected by the Board from a pool of more than 100 candidates as part of a national search conducted by a professional search firm.