Health System with 4 hospitals across 1 state
| Health System | Rush University System for Health |
|---|---|
| Total Hospitals | 4 |
| Commercial/Acute Hospitals | 4 |
| Total Beds | 659 |
| Commercial/Acute Beds | 659 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, IL |
| Website | rush.edu |
| Hospital | Type | Beds | Teaching | Recently Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush Copley Medical Center | Acute Care Hospital | 210 | Yes | No |
| Rush Oak Park Hospital | Acute Care Hospital | 296 | Yes | No |
| Rush University Medical Center | Acute Care Hospital | 53 | Yes | No |
| Rush Specialty Hospital | Acute Care Hospital | 100 | No | No |
Will take on the system-wide role of president and CEO of the Rush University System for Health (RUSH), effective July 1 [9]. Continues to serve as president and CEO of RUSH University Medical Center [9]. Under Lateef's leadership as president and CEO of RUSH University Medical Center, the organization received unprecedented acclaim, most notably for its outstanding multi-year response to the COVID-19 pandemic [9]. RUSH's early COVID-19 innovations included early testing, an intentional focus on critically ill patients from communities hardest hit by the pandemic, and clinical advancements in treatment protocols [9]. In April 2021, Lateef accepted Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Medal of Honor on behalf of all medical center staff in recognition of the hospital's contributions to the city during the pandemic [9]. Thanks in part to Lateef's vision, RUSH has continued to advance in quality, safety and overall performance rankings, including a five-star rating, the highest possible, from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [9]. Lateef's tenure with RUSH began with a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at RUSH University Medical Center in 2005 [9]. Prior to leading the center, he served as its chief medical officer [9].
Courtney Kammer, MHA, is the Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Rush University Medical Center, part of Rush University System for Health. With over 21 years of experience in healthcare, she has been with Rush since 2006, focusing on faculty recruitment, onboarding, and retention programs. Kammer was appointed interim vice president of talent management in 2019 and assumed the role of Chief Human Resources Officer in January 2020. Before joining Rush, she was the director of physician services at St. Francis Hospital & Health Center in Blue Island, Illinois. She holds a Master's in Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University. Kammer has also served on the executive board and as treasurer for the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR).
Patricia Steeves O'Neil, MAE, serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President at Rush University System for Health and Rush University Medical Center, having been appointed to the permanent role in May 2021 after serving as acting CFO since May 2020. She possesses over 30 years of experience in healthcare financial management, including more than two decades as the treasurer at Rush University Medical Center. Her extensive responsibilities include overseeing the fiscal strategy, financial reporting, budgeting, treasury functions, and the hospital revenue cycle for the RUSH system. Additionally, she is a board member and the treasurer of RUSH Health and chairs its Finance Committee. Before her tenure at Rush, O'Neil was a managing director at Bank of America's Healthcare and Not-for-Profit Group and a vice president at First National Bank of Chicago's Healthcare, Education and Municipal Services Group. Academically, she holds a bachelor's degree from Mount Holyoke College and a Master of Applied Economics from the University of Michigan. She is also an assistant professor at Rush University College of Health Sciences, teaching in the Master's in Health Systems Management Program. Throughout her career at Rush, O'Neil has been instrumental in managing significant financial initiatives, including navigating the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing cash preservation strategies, and securing funding for strategic growth and construction projects. Her efforts have contributed to the financial stabilization and improved credit ratings for the Rush system. She also contributes her expertise through board service for organizations such as the Mount Holyoke College Alumnae Association and Spark Ventures.
Paul E. Casey, MD, MBA, FACEP, is the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Rush University System for Health. He is an emergency medicine physician and a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Rush Medical College. Dr. Casey earned his medical degree from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and completed a combined residency in Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center. He holds an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Dr. Casey is board certified in emergency medicine, internal medicine, and medical informatics. In his role as Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Casey is responsible for the design, implementation, and oversight of clinical quality, patient safety, and performance improvement initiatives across the Rush system. He also oversees Rush's digital transformation, enterprise pharmacy and lab operations, as well as the transfer center and care management teams. Prior to his current position, Dr. Casey held various roles at Rush, including associate chief medical officer, senior patient safety officer, associate chief medical informatics officer, and vice chairperson for Emergency Department Operations. He also served as the interim president for Rush University Medical Group for two years. Dr. Casey was involved in leading Rush's COVID-19 response strategy. His areas of expertise include informatics, clinical process improvement, education, and patient satisfaction.
Luis Garcia, MD, FACS, MBA, FACHE, serves as the President of the Rush Medical Group at Rush University System for Health. He is a board-certified surgeon specializing in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgeries. Dr. Garcia earned his medical degree from La Salle University in Mexico City. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences and a mini-fellowship in bariatric surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Additionally, he holds a Master's in Healthcare Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas, Opus College of Business. Before joining Rush, Dr. Garcia was the president of Sanford Health's Clinic division, where he also held roles as chair of bariatric surgery and medical director of the Eating Disorders and Weight Management Center. He is recognized for his expertise in healthcare systems integration, medical group governance, and leadership development. At Rush, he is responsible for integrating nearly 1,000 employed physicians and 500 advanced practice providers and champions value-based initiatives, including population health and health equity. Dr. Garcia is also involved with national organizations like the American Medical Association and the American Medical Group Association, and is a co-founder of the International Esperanza Project, participating in medical mission trips to Central America.
President and Chief Academic Officer, Rush University. Chief Clinical and Academic Officer and Senior Vice President, Rush University System for Health. The James A. [3]
Brian Stein, MD, serves as the Vice President and Chief Quality Officer for Rush University System for Health, where he is responsible for ensuring clinical operations meet standards for safety, quality, service, and cost, and oversees operational and quality analytics. He has been with Rush since 2009, holding roles such as senior patient safety officer, associate chief medical officer, chief quality officer for Rush Health, and acting chief medical officer for Rush Oak Park Hospital. Dr. Stein completed his medical degree at Rush University. He performed his internal medicine residency at the University of Michigan Hospital and a clinical and research fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Chicago, where he also obtained a master's degree in Health Services Research. He remains boarded in pulmonary and critical care medicine and continues to practice in the Intensive Care Unit.
William A. Downe is the Chairman of the boards of Rush University Medical Center and Rush University System for Health, a role he assumed effective July 1, 2024. He has been involved with Rush since joining the Rush University Medical Center Board in 2010, serving on various key committees. Prior to his leadership at Rush, Downe had a notable career in the financial sector, primarily with BMO Financial Group for over 30 years. He held several senior management positions in both Canada and the United States, including Vice-Chair, Deputy Chair, and CEO of BMO Nesbitt Burns. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of BMO Financial Group from March 2007 until his retirement in 2017. Downe is an挞William A. Downe is the Chairman of the boards of Rush University Medical Center and Rush University System for Health, with his tenure in this role beginning July 1, 2024. He has been a member of the Rush University Medical Center Board since 2010 and has participated in various committees, including those focused on philanthropy, campaigns, compensation and human resources, and development. Before his current role at Rush, Downe had a long and prominent career in banking with BMO Financial Group, spanning over three decades. He joined Bank of Montreal in 1983 and held various senior management positions in Canada and the U.S. His previous roles included Vice-Chair of Bank of Montreal, Deputy Chair of BMO Financial Group, and Chief Executive Officer of BMO Nesbitt Burns. He was appointed Chief Operating Officer of BMO Financial Group in 2006 and served as its Chief Executive Officer from March 2007 until his retirement in 2017. Downe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Toronto. He has also received honorary doctorates and is a Member of the Order of Canada. His past board memberships include Loblaw Companies Limited and ManpowerGroup, and he is a former chair of the board of St. Michael's Hospital.
Christine A. Edwards is the Vice Chair of the Rush University System for Health Board of Directors. She is a nationally recognized authority on financial services, corporate governance, and public company issues. Prior to retiring from her partnership at Winston & Strawn LLP in 2021, she headed the firm's bank regulatory practice. Before joining Winston & Strawn in 2003, Ms. Edwards served as executive vice president and chief legal officer at Bank One Corporation, a predecessor to JPMorgan Chase. For over 25 years, she also held executive vice president and chief legal officer roles at Morgan Stanley and its predecessors, where she was the first female General Counsel on Wall Street. Ms. Edwards has extensive experience advising public company boards and executive management on governance and regulatory matters, as well as supervising complex internal investigations. She also serves on the board of BMO Financial and chairs their Nominating and Governance Committee, while also serving on other committees for BMO and its US subsidiary, BMO Bank. Her involvement with Rush University System for Health includes serving on the board since 2000, becoming Vice Chairman in 2018, chairing the Audit Committee since 2001, and serving on the Executive and Nominating and Governance Committees since 2010.