Letter from the IOMC President  Cheryl Rucker- Whitaker 

A MESSAGE TO OUR FELLOWS and COLLEAGUES

March 2022

Dear Fellows and Colleagues, 

We are approaching spring which brings signs of hope as the weather changes. It is also an excellent time to review the goals and objectives that The Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC) set.

Our report on the State of Chicago program in early February 2022 during our virtual program is our compass going forward for the next two years. IOMC will focus on maternal and child health, homelessness as a public health issue, nursing home reform, use of telehealth in mental healthcare and other disciplines when feasible, and addressing the issue of children who are “stuck” in psychiatric hospitals. A published report will be available this summer.

The first quarter virtual sessions complimented our early efforts on homelessness as a public health issue, mental health issues, and rising crisis and addressed the importance of working together with communities to raise the bar to healthcare equity for all. Not only do we need the insights of multi-disciplinary professionals such as our Fellows; however, we need to continue to collaborate with others. We will reach out to groups, agencies, and leaders to implement and monitor efforts to create systemic change.

We are hosting a four-programs with Rosalind Franklin University that capture research, experiences, and the positive impact of community engagement. Education is a powerful tool for disease prevention and management, eliminating health inequities, and continuing to impact communities. Plus, it opens new career pathways for the future. 

We will be addressing the inequities in the chronic kidney disease process and discussing options to solve them in May 2022.  Don't miss the 2022 Annual Meeting & Healthcare Awards on June 30th at Venue Six10. Also, the fall programs are in planning now- a very productive time.  

A year ago, we were in a different place than we are now. We continue to use the social determinants of health as true compass for evaluating our efforts in our defined areas of focus as we strive to create intentional improvements. We need to see progress- a commitment to solving inequities as IOMC has done for the past 106 years. Our Fellows are relentless in their pursuits, and we will garner their insights for a collective resolve in our defined areas of focus going forward.

We hope to see you at the upcoming 2022 Annual Meeting and Healthcare Awards on June 30, 2022. This is special opportunity to convene together. It will remind all of us why we are Fellows and the progress and challenges overcome in the last two years. We have not met as a group since 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.

Together - your integrated, collective support is appreciated, and continued participation is vital to going forward.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Rucker-Whitaker

Cheryl Rucker-Whitaker, MD, MPH, FACP

President and Chair of  The Institute of Medicine of Chicago