Pat Schou named ‘Outstanding Health Network Leader’ by National Cooperative of Health Networks Association

ICAHN Executive Director Pat Schou of Princeton, IL was recently named "Outstanding Health Network Leader" by the National Cooperative of Health Networks Association.

"Pat Schou is a true visionary in the world of rural healthcare and as a result of her hard work, thousands of Americans living in small towns and communities have better access to the healthcare they need."

Pat founded the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN), the first statewide network, in 2003 and the organization had its first meetings at a Pizza Hut. Now, almost 20 years later, ICAHN has become the model of network development across the country and continues to excel as a resource for rural and critical access healthcare providers, including 57 in Illinois alone. She also manages several grant programs for the Illinois Department of Public Health and other organizations.

Over the past 20 years, Pat has served as President of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), where she has held several positions since 2015. She was recently appointed to the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. In addition, she is the Executive Director of the Illinois Rural Community Care Organization, which is a statewide rural accountable care organization comprised of 27 critical access and rural hospitals, and initiated ICAHN’s Medicare Advantage program. Pat also leads Survey Solutions by ICAHN. A full service, CMS approved, Patient Experience survey company that focuses solely on serving rural and critical access hospitals and clinics. The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network has been a member of NCHN since 2007.

NCHN is a national professional membership organization comprised of health networks, alliances and consortiums dedicated to supporting and strengthening health networks. For more information about NCHN please visit their website at www.nchn.org.