Elected Officials Visit Advocate Illinois Masonic

On October 23, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center held its annual Legislative Forum and welcomed three elected officials: State Representative Sara Feigenholtz, State Representative Greg Harris and State Senator Heather Steans.

All three took the time to first learn about some of the innovative research and policies nurses at Advocate Illinois Masonic are putting into practice to enhance care for patients. Then, the official program began as the elected officials sat down to speak with nearly 50 nurses, physicians and associates about hot topics in government and in the health care industry.

Donna King, RN, VP of Clinical Operations and Chief Nurse Executive started off the 2017 Legislative Forum with welcoming words to the three guests of honor followed by a heartwarming invocation by Reverend Kevin Massey highlighting the importance of public service and our shared goal of making the community a better place. Advocate Illinois Masonic is fortunate to work often with these exceptional leaders to improve health care access and services in the surrounding areas.

The discussion focused on topics of utmost importance to Advocate Illinois Masonic as a health care organization and was highlighted by a big win for both our legislators and clinicians: the passage of the Nurse Practice Act empowering APRNs to practice at the top of their license and provide much needed care. Rep. Feigenholtz even hinted that similar legislation affecting Physician Assistants may be next!

Even in light of that success, all three lawmakers were very aware of all the work still to be done. They continue to work on tough issues, such as Medicaid funding and the fiscal crisis facing Illinois, and were interested in learning more from Advocate Illinois Masonic experts about needed improvements in legislation for behavioral health, workplace violence and more.

Advocate Illinois Masonic was proud to host these leaders in health care policy for a productive discussion and appreciates their ongoing partnership and support as we continue to transform health care and strive to provide safe, high quality care for patients where and when they need it most.

To learn more about the health care services offered at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Lake View, visit www.advocatehealth.com/immc.

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About Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center

Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center is a 397-bed non-profit teaching hospital located in the Lake View neighborhood on Chicago's North Side. The medical center has a Level I Trauma Center and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the highest designations awarded by the state of Illinois, and offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care, including cardiovascular, oncology, digestive health and neurosciences services. A recipient of numerous awards for quality and clinical excellence, Advocate Illinois Masonic has achieved Magnet designation for excellence in nursing services from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The medical center has also been named a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign's Healthcare Equality Index. Advocate Illinois Masonic is part of Advocate Health Care, the largest fully integrated health system in Illinois. For more information, visit www.advocatehealth.com/masonic.