Cook County Hospital CEO leaving for NYC post

The CEO of Cook County's $1 billion-a-year public health system, Dr. Ram Raju — who is credited with cutting costs and professionalizing county healthcare — announced Tuesday that he was leaving after two years to take a high-level appointment from newly elected New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. "It's a great loss for the hospital system," said Warren Batts, the former county health system board chairman who oversaw the hiring of Raju. "He had an energy and interpersonal skills and desire to get into the nitty-gritty and roll up his sleeves."