The boards of the Illinois Hospital Association and the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council have authorized the organizations to create a statewide, integrated body called IHA, which will begin combined operations in January 2016.
Current IHA President and CEO Maryjane Wurth will lead IHA's strategy and operations. MCHC President and CEO Dan Yunker will serve as an executive vice president, and president and CEO of the Midwest Healthcare Institute, a regional entity that will serve as an incubator for innovation and development. A.J. Wilhelmi, IHA chief government relations officer, will serve as executive vice president for advocacy, policy and member services, and will lead the organization's advocacy initiatives in the Metropolitan Chicago Area, Springfield and in Washington, D.C.
"This decision marks the beginning of a truly historical shift for Illinois healthcare," Dean M. Harrison, president and CEO of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and IHA board chair, and Michael S. Eesley, CEO of Centegra Health System and MCHC board chair, said in a joint statement. "Together, the leadership at IHA and MCHC are building a dynamic, integrated organization, with a powerful, unified voice that will support member healthcare institutions, and drive continued innovation to benefit the health of all Illinoisans."
IHA has named five long-term goals, according to Ms. Wurth.
- Strengthen and align advocacy and influence leadership to reform the delivery of healthcare in Illinois
- Enhance the ability to assist in performance improvement and facilitate the transformation of hospitals and health systems
- Enhance offerings in technology, data and information to support the management of population health and systems of care
- Expand the array of trusted business and performance solutions through the Midwest Healthcare Institute to help hospitals and health systems transform the delivery of care
- Enhance operational effectiveness through innovative solutions