Is a Task Force needed to study how North Shore Health operates?

It’s no secret that we, the people of Cook County, have a problem with North Shore Health, but I fear we have gotten to a point of simply talking past each other.

As a former operator of the military, it was a commonplace to run up against what seemed like instrumental obstacles. There wasn’t a day that didn’t prevent a problem that required group think and no commander operated under the guise of, “I have all of the answers.”

In the fast-paced world of operations we would meet each night for what was called a hot wash; what worked, what didn’t and how do we improve the next day’s mission. We met as a group, from the highest levels of the military to the grunt on the ground, to the highest placed academics in their respective fields, we talked to each other, we challenged each other, we educated each other. Yes, sometimes we yelled at each other, but we listened to each other.

In my time as an operator, I can only guess on how many Task Forces I served on. It was in the dozens. Each Task Force, in military parlance, is a temporary team of experts, focused on very specific challenge, which required resolution in an extremely timely manner. When you bring an open mindset to a problem, put personalities aside, and work the problem, the team almost always wins.

In reviewing the back and forth of both parties in the press; the community and the North Shore Health care administration and board, I believe, now, more than ever, it is time for the creation of a Task Force to solve these issues.

In general, the Task Force will have veto power over the administration and the board. Their finding are presented to the community, who, in this case, would represent the Commander in Chief, who was the only one to veto a Task Force recommendation.

Their mission, to review the operations from end-to-end, including agreements between St. Luke’s, union employees, and the county’s participation in daily operations.

While the initial Task Force may come to the community with a wide variety of recommendations it may require creation of additional Task Forces to focus on addressing the problems we seem to be talking past each other on.

Let’s take this step together.

Richard Saunders, Cook County, Minnesota