The Cook County Bureau of Health is trying to close a budget deficit. Currently the round peg of $835M in health system expenditures has to fit into the square hole of a $730M target. An historic closing of County-run community clinics combined with one of the largest layoffs of doctors and nurse practitioners has created repercussions across the region. The problem? No strategic plan, no governance by health care experts.
Meanwhile, the response by Cook County managers is to strangle prevention efforts and to cut resources that allow people to get health care close to home, at a neighborhood clinic. Let's keep the emergency department free to see true emergencies instead of clogging it up with folks who just need a refill on their diabeted medication.
Paradoxically, cutting back on neighborhood-based care will put more stress on the system by forcing patient to stand in line for routine services at Stroger Hospital. Or worse, wait until they are too sick and end up with costly hospitalization.
Can someone do the math?
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