New President Pledges Stronger Integration and Collaboration Across Chicago’s Health System

CHICAGO— The Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC) proudly celebrated its historic 110th Anniversary and Leadership Awards Gala on June 26^th with a record sold-out gathering at Maggiano’s, uniting healthcare leaders, innovators, and partners from across Illinois to honor transformative leadership and chart a bold course for Chicago’s future in health delivery.

The evening featured the ceremonial installation of Neli Vazquez Rowland as IOMC’s new President for 2025–2026. A nationally recognized author, multi-family real estate investor, social entrepreneur and co-founder of A Safe Haven, Vazquez Rowland shared her story as a public health innovator, since 1994 — including her decisive response to the COVID-19 crisis. She highlighted the groundbreaking partnership she led with Rush University Medical Center, with Dr. David Ansell, MD, MPH which created Chicago’s first formal medical respite program integrating institutional healthcare with a community-based organization. This collaboration and pioneering Chicago Innovation Award winning model is now informing the way healthcare systems nationwide address housing and health together.

“As we face extraordinary challenges, it’s more important than ever that we come together,” said Vazquez Rowland. “We have the hospitals, the universities, and our community-based organizations — all the pieces are here. The missing link is streamlining them, strengthening them, and securing the right funding so we can deliver better care, efficiently and allocate resources by funders and insurers, accordingly.

She pledged to listen to the IOMC members and region’s leading subject-matter experts and position IOMC as Chicago’s most influential convener, think tank, and trusted platform for ideas that advance innovation and access.

A heartfelt thank you was given to Courtney Avery, MPH, IOMC’s outgoing President for 2024–2025, for her strategic leadership and dedication to the mission.

The Institute proudly honored six outstanding leaders and institutions whose transformative contributions are reshaping medicine, innovation, prevention, and public service:

2025 IOMC Lifetime Achievement Award

James L. Madara, MD

CEO, American Medical Association

 

2025 IOMC Innovation in Health Care / Delivery Award - Individual                        

Neelum T. Aggarwal, MD

Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center

 

2025 IOMC Innovation in Health Care / Delivery Award - Organization

La Rabida Children's Hospital Behavioral Health & Community Programs

 

2025 IOMC Award for Public Service

LaMenta Conway, MD, MPH

I Am Abel Foundation

 

2025 The Portes Foundation & IOMC Award for Excellence in Prevention of Disease

Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science

 

2025 Portes Foundation Meritorious Lifetime Achievement Award

Alejandro Aparicio, MD, FACP

 

The evening featured a thought-provoking fireside chat with Dr. David Ansell, MD, MPH, and was skillfully emceed by Rob Johnson, President of Rob Johnson Communications. The Institute also celebrated its incoming Class of 2025 Fellows, adding to its legacy of nurturing leadership and collaboration across Chicago’s health community.

We wish to thank our sponsors for their support: Washington Square Health Foundation, Golden Square, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Johnson & Johnson, Cannon Solutions USA, Novo Nordisk, Hektoen, National Kidney Foundation of Illinois, Rob Johnson Communications, and Illinois Association for Behavioral Health Our Dinner Table Sponsors are American Medical Association, Family Christian Health Center, Golz, I Am Abel, Michael Reese Research & Education Foundation, The Portes Foundation, Trilab Health, and UI-Mile Square Health Center.  In-Kind Media – Health News Illinois.

About the Institute of Medicine of Chicago

The Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC), since 1915, is an independent 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization of distinguished leaders in the health field who collaborate to improve the health of the public. Drawing upon the expertise of a diverse membership and other regional leaders, the IOMC addresses critical health issues through a range of interdisciplinary approaches, including education, research, communication of trusted information, and community engagement. Visit www.iomc.org. 

Media Contact: Interviews available upon request. 

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The Department of Public Health said it has confirmed the state’s first case of West Nile virus.

The case in a southern Illinois resident is the earliest a case has been reported in the state since 2016. The individual has been hospitalized due to complications from the infection. (Health News Illinois]

“The fact that we are seeing the first human case of West Nile virus so early in the season serves as a timely reminder — especially for seniors and those with weakened immune systems — to protect yourself from illnesses caused by mosquito bites,” said agency Director Dr. Sameer Vohra.

The virus has been confirmed in 19 counties so far this year.

Last year, there were 69 confirmed human cases of the virus, including 13 deaths. It was the highest number of deaths since 17 human deaths recorded in 2018.

IDPH provides $2.8 million annually for local mosquito control efforts, including vector surveillance and control activities.

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Recent headlines highlight the complexities of advancing health through policy. Federal officials are calling for expanded use of wearable devices and remote monitoring, though experts caution that without proper implementation, the benefits may fall short. Meanwhile, digital health leaders are pushing for better interoperability and policy support amid looming healthcare cuts. [

States like Wyoming and Georgia are grappling with maternal health challenges—from declining births and doctor shortages to the potential of midwives as care extenders. New research underscores the urgency: pregnancy complications are now linked to long-term stroke risk in women and increased seizure risk in children, reinforcing the need for comprehensive, data-informed maternal care strategies. [Baby Scripts]

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While nitrate is a naturally occurring compound that is necessary to plants and animals for survival, its widespread use in inorganic fertilizers has increased the compound’s presence in the environment.

When excess nitrate is consumed by humans, usually via drinking water contaminated by agricultural runoff, the chemical can interfere with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, the study explained.

“There is no safe level of prenatal nitrate exposure,” author Jason Semprini, an assistant professor in public health economics at Des Moines University, said in a statement.

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Over the past few decades, the respective roles of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in making vaccine policy have been reasonably well defined. The FDA focuses on ensuring that the data submitted by vaccine manufacturers support the claims of safety and effectiveness made in the prescribing information and that the vaccines are produced using high-quality standards in appropriate facilities. The FDA is also responsible for issuing guidance on how the vaccine industry can comply with its regulations and recommendations. Its guidance documents represent formal statements of agency policy, and the process underlying them usually involves issuing a draft document, receiving comments to a docket of the Federal Register at www.regulations.gov, and publishing a final version of the guidance after incorporation of any necessary revisions based on the comments obtained. [ New England Journal of Medicine]

The CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) subsequently review the FDA prescribing information and other available information to make recommendations that they consider to be in the best interest of public health. They also post the recommended schedules of immunizations for children and adults. Both agencies share responsibility for vaccine safety surveillance, and this overlapping coverage helps ensure that safety signals are rapidly identified and refined.

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A new variant of COVID-19 is on the rise globally, but the overall risk to the public remains low, according to a report from the World Health Organization (WHO). [Medscape]

Although the variant, NB.1.8.1, is increasing in proportion to other circulating variants, routine clinical surveillance data have not yielded any signs of increased severity associated with NB.1.8.1 compared to previously circulating variants, the WHO noted in the report.

In a logistic regression model comparing NB.1.8.1 to LP.8.1.1, NB.1.8.1 had an estimated higher relative growth advantage than co-circulating variants, according to the WHO. However, no evidence has appeared of increased COVID-19-related hospital admissions, deaths per hospitalizations, or all-cause mortality associated with the variant, the WHO report stated.

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The first six months of 2025 have seen major policy pitches for behavioral health, scrutiny of psychiatric medications, and proposed Medicaid cuts. [Becker's Behavioral Health]

Here are the five biggest developments to know: 

1. Behavioral health providers are bracing for the impact of proposed Medicaid cuts. The House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a more than 1,000-page budget reconciliation bill, May 22. The bill cuts Medicaid spending by nearly $800 billion over 10 years, by implementing work requirements for beneficiaries, increasing redetermination frequency and cutting federal funding for states that provide Medicaid benefits to undocumented immigrants. The Senate has yet to vote on the reconciliation bill.
   
   An estimated 7.8 million people would lose Medicaid coverage by 2034 if the cuts passed by the House become law, according to the Congressional Budget Office

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Next week's meeting of the ACIP will offer the public a glimpse of the HHS secretary's hand-picked panel's approach to vaccines. Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, has requested an investigation into Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s dismissal of all ACIP members. [KFF Health News]

Stat: Vaccine Advisers To Consider MMRV Vaccines, ‘Thimerosal Containing’ Flu Shots In Pared-Down Meeting 

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s handpicked panel of vaccines advisers will weigh in on two long-approved shots at its first meeting next week, an agenda posted on Wednesday shows. The panel will vote next week on recommendations related to “thimerosal containing” flu vaccines, and also reconsider recommendations related to the use of the combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine for children under 5. (Cirruzzo, 6/18)

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 It's one week to the BIG event - 110th Anniversary!! Don't miss the opportunity to celebrate this milestone with IOMC!  

Join us in thanking President Avery Davis and the Board of Governors for their leadership 2024-2025 and welcoming Incoming President Neli Vazquez Rowland and the Board of Governors 2025-2025.  Open to all, register here>

More details...

'The Institute of Medicine of Chicago has been a beacon of light in the city of Chicago for 110 years! I am proud to serve as the 110th President.  IOMC's successes are reflected in the work of diverse and distinguished professionals dedicated to addressing the critical health needs of our neighbors. With your support, IOMC will continue its mission for another 110 years,’ stated IOMC President Courtney Avery Davis, MPH, 2024-2025.

From its inception on April 22, 1915, the Institute established an independent organization dedicated to developing and documenting standards of medical services in the City of Chicago. The founders were Drs. Frank Billings, Ludvig Hektoen, William Allen Pusey, and 26 other physicians. In 1920, one of its first initiatives was implementing an autopsy survey, which led to improving the quality of care for diseases. In 1923, the Institute began research for “Needs of Chicago in Nervous and Mental Disease,” which surveyed hospitals, and began registering and training psychiatric nurses. See History of Accomplishments>

‘I am excited to help celebrate 110 years of convening healthcare leaders focused on pioneering health advancements; we look forward to renewing our commitment to exploring innovations, discussing emerging challenges, addressing health disparities, and improving outcomes for all. Together, we bridge the gaps in overall health, integrate better person-centered systems, and inspire a healthier future for every community,’ stated Neli Vazquez Rowland, Incoming IOMC President 2025-2026.

Its current strategic programmatic focus is maternal and child health, social determinants of health, unsheltered people, behavioral health, and lead pathways in children and communities. We are proud to continue the work of our founders. The Institute collaborates with top leaders across health systems, behavioral health, public health, policy and community leaders.

The Institute will extend its gratitude to President Courtney Avery Davis, MPH, Billings Fellow, and the Board of Governors for their efforts during the 2024-2025 period. She has served on the Board of Governors for the past three years in various roles. 

Avery Davis is the Founder and President of ARC Equity Consultants, LLC.  A boutique public policy and crisis communications firm that advises health care organizations on how to respond to communication challenges, maintain their brand reputation, and smartly respond to government entities. She served as the Administrator with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, bringing nearly twenty years of experience in overseeing and managing $3 billion in healthcare infrastructure and capital improvement projects. 

We will welcome incoming President Neli Vazquez Rowland, 2025-2026, Billings Fellow, and the Board of Governors. Vazquez Rowland has served on the Board of Governors for five years, with two years on the Executive Committee.

Vazquez Rowland is a lifelong advocate of holistic wellness, dedicating her life to integrating physical, mental, economic, and spiritual health into every aspect of her work. As the co-founder of A Safe Haven, Vazquez Rowland has led the effort to help transform the lives of over 140,000 individuals experiencing homelessness by applying a whole-person approach to healing. Having served on the Board of Governors for five years, with two years on the Executive Committee as the President-Elect and Secretary.

We are honored to have Dr. David Ansell, MD, MPH, as our Keynote Speaker for this momentous occasion. He is a nationally recognized physician, clinician, epidemiologist, advocate, and author; his efforts in health equity work, addressing patient dumping, and leadership have spanned decades. Dr. Ansell is SVP, Community Health Equity, Rush University Medical Center, and Associate Provost, Community Affairs, Rush University. 

The evening will include honoring six transformational leaders: 

2025 IOMC Lifetime Achievement Award

James L. Madara, MD

CEO, American Medical Association

2025 IOMC Innovation in Health Care / Delivery Award - Individual                 

Neelum T. Aggarwal, MD

Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center

 

2025 IOMC Innovation in Health Care / Delivery Award - Organization

La Rabida Children's Hospital Behavioral Health & Community Programs

 

2025 IOMC Award for Public Service

LaMenta Conway, MD, MPH

I Am Abel Foundation

 

2025 The Portes Foundation & IOMC Award for Excellence in Prevention of Disease

Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science

 

2025 Portes Foundation Meritorious Lifetime Achievement Award

Alejandro Aparicio, MD, FACP

The Institute will recognize its Class of 2025 Fellows at the event:

Dillon Bannis, MD

Jarrod Barker, MD

Melissa Chen, MD

Judith Cothran, MD

Gerald De Loss, JD

Kathleen Ryan Delaney, PhD

Teresa Garate, PhD

Marilyn Griffin, MD

Olusimbo Ige, MD

Monique Jones, MD

Richard Lieber, PhD

Erik P. Mikaitis, MD, MBA, FACP, CPE

Horace M. Nowell III, MPH (Associate Fellow)

Hope Pavich

Victoria W. Persky, MD

Lovelle R. Reynolds, PhD

Emonii Robinson (Associate in Training)

IOMC is every thankful of its sponsors and supporters: 

 

We wish to thank our sponsors for their support: Washington Square Health Foundation, Golden Square, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Johnson & Johnson, Cannon Solutions USA, Novo Nordisk, Hektoen, National Kidney Foundation of Illinois and Illinois Association for Behavioral Health

Our Dinner Table Sponsors are American Medical Association, Family Christian Health Center, Golz, I Am Abel Foundation, Michael Reese Research & Education Foundation, The Portes Foundation, Triblab Health, and UI-Mile Square Health Center.  In-Kind Media – Health News Illinois.

Final day to register is June 20, 2025- don't miss out. 

More details and to register here> 

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Although data from a recent case has not been disclosed, the CDC reports that of the nearly 3% of other infected people who were fully vaccinated, not one was hospitalized. A double dose of the measles vaccine is 97% effective at preventing the disease. [KFF Health News and CBS}

At least 3% of measles cases confirmed so far this year have been in people who received two doses of the measles vaccine, meaning they were fully vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. 

About three dozen of the nearly 1,200 measles infections in 2025 have been in people with two vaccine doses, the agency said Friday in its weekly update on cases. An additional 2% of cases were in people who received at least one dose of the measles vaccine.

Many of the cases were in Texas, which on Tuesday counted a 21st confirmed measles case in someone with at least two doses of the vaccine.

Lara Anton, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, said Monday that their first 20 cases were in children 8 years old or younger. Anton did not immediately respond to a request for more information about the additional case, which was reported on Tuesday.

A CDC spokesperson said in an email their data reflects vaccination status at the time someone was exposed to the virus. This means none of the 36 vaccinated cases they confirmed Friday received their second dose as a result of post-exposure prophylaxis. Post-exposure prophylaxis is offering someone a drug or vaccine after they are exposed to a germ, to reduce the chance they will be infected or develop severe disease.

Check out an IOMC webinar on vaccines here>https://youtu.be/aFpSP-224QU?feature=shared

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