Omar Lateef, D.O.’99, will take on the system-wide role of president and CEO of RUSH, effective July 1, 2022, while continuing as president and CEO of RUSH University Medical Center. RUSH includes RUSH University Medical Center, RUSH University, RUSH Oak Park Hospital, RUSH Copley Medical Center and RUSH Health. Dr. Lateef’s RUSH University Medical Center CEO role will not be replaced.
In the spring of 2019, Drs. Lateef and Dr. Ranga Krishnan – who will become senior advisor to the CEO on July 1 – took on visionary leadership roles that built upon and bolstered the organization’s standing as a top-tier institution in nearly every measurable dimension. Their partnership and leadership have positioned RUSH to advance a bold vision for the future.
Under Dr. 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 set the standard for care nationally through the deployment of early testing, an intentional focus on critically ill patients from communities hardest hit by the pandemic, and clinical advancements of treatment protocols.
In April 2021, Dr. Lateef accepted Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Medal of Honor on behalf of all the Medical Center’s health care heroes, recognizing the hospital’s extraordinary contributions to Chicago during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks in part to Dr. Lateef’s innovative 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.
Dr. 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 Medical Center, he served as its chief medical officer.