Silver Cross Hospital President/CEO Ruth Colby Elected to Illinois Health and Hospital Association Board
Silver Cross Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer Ruth Colby has been elected to the Illinois Health and Hospital Association’s (IHA) 2020 Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees is the policymaking body for the Association, which represents more than 200 hospitals and nearly 40 health systems across Illinois. She will serve a three-year term that began Jan. 1.
Colby has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox since Oct. 1, 2017, after serving as the hospital’s Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for 12 years.
Under Colby's leadership, Silver Cross has experienced unprecedented growth. In May 2019, the 300-bed hospital launched an open heart surgery program that’s already exceeding volume projections. In January 2019, Silver Cross partnered with US HealthVest to open Silver Oaks, a 100-bed behavioral hospital on its campus.
In 2018, Silver Cross opened an outpatient endoscopy center on its campus; and in December 2017, the hospital partnered with USPI to open the Silver Cross Surgery Center, a 14,000-square-foot ambulatory surgery center.
With Colby at the helm, Silver Cross has also developed innovative strategies to drive growth by forging partnerships with leading medical centers in Chicago, including the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, UChicago Medicine for oncology services, and Loyola Medicine for neurosciences.
What’s more, Colby has led the hospital to 10 Straight A’s for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group, top quartile patient satisfaction scores, and $400+ million in net revenue.
Colby is a Past President of the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, an American Hospital Association membership group and received the national award for Individual Personal Achievement in 2009.
In addition, she serves on numerous community boards, such as Will County Center for Economic Development Executive Committee, Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, University of Chicago Medicine Cancer Research Foundation Women’s Board. Colby is also a member of the United Way of Will County Pillars Society, the Joliet Rotary Club and the Economic Club of Chicago.
She has received numerous awards, including the Gold Star Award for Health from the Joliet Chapter of the National Hook-Up of Black Women, the Athena Award for Outstanding Business Woman of the Year from the Uptown Chamber of Commerce, and the Award for Individual Professional Excellence from the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development.
In April 2019, Ruth was named one of Crain Chicago Business' Notable Women Over 50, and in November 2019, she was named to Crain's Notable Women in Healthcare.
