Cook County health system to bolster front line

The Cook County Health & Hospitals System plans to hire up to 85 nurses and front-line health care workers in coming months as the cash-strapped public hospital system tries to boost patient satisfaction in preparation for national health care changes. Ramanathan Raju, the health system's new chief executive, laid out on Monday a series of initiatives its plans this year to ramp up services amid intensifying competition among the region's hospitals.