Dr. John Jay Shannon

Dr. Jay Shannon is the Chief Executive Officer of Cook County Health (CCH). He was appointed CEO in June 2014 after serving as the system’s Chief of Clinical Integration.

Under Dr. Shannon’s leadership, CCH is continuing a transformative journey, developing innovative and integrative approaches to the fulfillment of the system’s mission by aligning its role as a provider of care, both in traditional and correctional settings, a public health authority and a health plan. The journey has included significant investments in outpatient services to shift the system from its historic role as a provider of sick care to a provider of health care.

In 2017, CCH earned the prestigious Health Information Management System Society highest achievement for the full integration of the electronic medical record, an honor less than 10% of health systems in the nation have earned. In 2018, the dissolution of a Department of Justice consent decree signaled a complete transformation of the health services provided to detainees at Cook County Jail. Today, the work of CCH’s correctional health team stands as a national model for the delivery of care to the justice-involved. Additionally, in 2019, Stroger Hospital earned recognition from US News & World Report as a High Performing Hospital in neurology and neurosurgery, heart failure, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery.

One in three residents of Cook County enrolled in Medicaid are members of CountyCare, CCH’s Medicaid managed care plan, making it the largest plan in Cook County despite competing with national brands. The success of the health plan has allowed CCH to address food insecurity,housing and behavioral health issues facing all CCH patients as well as offset costs associated with a greatly increased demand for charity care. CCH has consistently provided 50%ofallthecharitycareinCookCountywithnoadditionalfundingfromlocaltaxpayers. In FY2019 local tax dollars represent just 3% of CCH’s operating revenues.

A graduate of St. Ignatius College Prep, Dr. Shannon earned his Bachelor’s degree from Spring Hill College and his medical degree from Rush Medical College. He trained in Internal Medicine and was a Chief Resident at University of Texas Southwestern Affiliated Hospitals in Dallas, and later earned specialty training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor.