100 Most Influential People in Healthcare - 2021

In addition to leading on health equity issues, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago continued to be at the forefront of advancements in treating COVID patients. Dr. Omar Lateef, is CEO of Rush University Medical Center. He was chief medical officer of the Medical Center and Rush University System for Health and a professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine. As CMO, Dr. Lateef did pioneering work in quality measurement, which elevated Rush’s position in national rankings. He also served as associate chief medical officer, vice chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, and director of the Rush’s medical intensive care unit.

Lateef speaks: “We don’t yet know what the new normal will look like. Leaders will have to be agile, honest, and transparent. Flexibility will be essential, and that’s not currently an inherent strength of the healthcare system. We will have to react to things as they unfold because we simply don’t know what the new world’s rules are going to be.”