Omar Lateef, D.O.’99, will take on the system-wide role of president and CEO of the Rush University System for Health (RUSH), effective July 1, while continuing to serve as president and CEO of RUSH University Medical Center. RUSH includes the medical center, RUSH University, RUSH Oak Park Hospital, RUSH Copley Medical Center and RUSH Health.
Under Lateef’s leadership as president and CEO of RUSH University Medical Center, the organization received unprecedented acclaim, most notably for its outstanding multi-year response to the COVID-19 pandemic. RUSH’s early COVID-19 innovations included early testing, an intentional focus on critically ill patients from communities hardest hit by the pandemic, and clinical advancements in treatment protocols. In April 2021, Lateef accepted Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Medal of Honor on behalf of all medical center staff in recognition of the hospital’s contributions to the city during the pandemic.
Thanks in part to Lateef’s vision, RUSH has continued to advance in quality, safety and overall performance rankings, including a five-star rating, the highest possible, from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
“This is a pivotal time in the history of the organization and in the world,” he says. “We have great opportunities ahead of us to make positive change happen in our communities, in our patients’ lives and in the way we care for one another. But it will not be without challenges. I have no doubt that together as a system, we will continue to set the bar high and overcome those challenges.”
Lateef’s tenure with RUSH began with a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at RUSH University Medical Center in 2005. Prior to leading the center, he served as its chief medical officer.
