Pamela Cassara was placed as chief financial officer of Cook County Health, a comprehensive, integrated system of health care throughout Chicago and suburban Cook County that encompasses two hospitals, a growing ambulatory and community health network, a public health department, a correctional healthcare facility, an outpatient infectious disease center, and the county’s largest Medicaid health plan. CCH provides more than 50% of all charity care in the county, serving more than 500,000 unique individuals each year. In her role, Pam will be responsible for all financial and control activities for the health system, including the protection of assets, revenue cycle, reimbursement, financial reporting, operational reporting, and financial planning, and will provide strategic vision and management for the operational and fiscal direction of the system.
Pam comes to CCH from the northern Indiana market of Franciscan Alliance, where she served as chief financial officer. In this capacity, Pam helped standardize and consolidate financial functions for the health system, was part of the team responsible for building a replacement hospital, and formed a successful partnership with a large orthopedic group for a joint venture ambulatory surgery center, and with a neighboring competitor for a micro-hospital joint venture. She also served as the CFO lead for the women’s and children’s service line across all 13 Franciscan hospitals, and on seven affiliate and JV boards to build successful business relationships with community members, physicians, local employers, government leaders, and third-party payers.
Previously, Pam served as a regional director of finance at Franciscan Alliance; as chief financial officer of MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island, Illinois, and of DeKalb Health in Auburn, Indiana; and in hospital chief financial officer and controller roles within the Lutheran Health Network in Indiana. She began her career as a CPA.
Pam holds a bachelor’s degree in business, with an accounting concentration, from Indiana University. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Indiana CPA Society, and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Pam and her husband are the parents of four grown children, and enjoy trying new restaurants and walking along the Chicago lakefront.
QLK’s Adrienne White-Faines, Bill Foley, and Joe Johnston led the search to recruit Pam to CCH, where her duties will begin September 13, 2021.
