Bechara Choucair

Bechara Choucair (Arabic: بشارة شقير) is a Lebanese-American physician and public health advisor who is the chief community health officer of Kaiser Permanente.^[2] He was the senior vice president of safety net and community health at Trinity Health and served as the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health from 2009 to 2014.^[3]

Bechara Choucair
White House Vaccinations Coordinator
In office January 20, 2021 – November 22, 2021
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Position established
Personal details
Born	1973 or 1974 (age 49–50)^[1] Beirut, Lebanon
Education	American University of Beirut (BS, MD) University of Texas, Dallas (MS)

Early life and education

Choucair was born in Beirut. He earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and Doctor of Medicine from the American University of Beirut. He then earned a Master of Science degree in healthcare management from the University of Texas at Dallas.^[4]

Career

Chicago Department of Public Health

Choucair was appointed as commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health on November 25, 2009, by Richard M. Daley,^[5][6] and reappointed by Rahm Emanuel upon his election. He stepped down from the post in December 2014.^[7]

Together with Mayor Emanuel, Choucair launched Healthy Chicago in August 2011,^[8] the City's first comprehensive public health agenda.^[9][10] in different Chicago neighborhoods.

Choucair previously held an appointment at Feinberg School of Medicine as an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.^[11]

Kaiser

Choucair was chief community health officer for Kaiser Permanente.^[12]

In April 2018, Choucair led the mission-based nonprofit organization's commitment of $2 million to researching gun injury prevention. As part of this public health initiative, Choucair serves as a co-lead on the Kaiser Permanente Taskforce on Firearm Injury Prevention.^[13]

In May 2018, Choucair announced Kaiser Permanente's $200 million impact investing commitment to address affordable housing and prevent displacement, a precursor to homelessness.^[14]

Biden administration

On December 30, 2020, it was announced that Choucair would serve as White House Vaccinations Coordinator in the incoming Biden administration.^[15][16] Choucair stepped down from his role on November 22, 2021, and resumed his role at Kaiser Permanente on December 27, 2021.^[17][18][19]

Awards

• 2010, Community Leadership Award, Midwest Asian Health Association^[20]
• 2011, Healthcare Community Leadership Award, The Chicago Health Executives Forum
• 2012, Friend for Life Award, Howard Brown Health Center^[21]
• 2012, Chicago's "40 under 40," Crain's Chicago Business^[22]
• 2014, Housing Champion Award, Metropolitan Tenants Organization
• 2019, named sixty-eighth among the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare.^[23]

Select publications

• • Survey of a Bekaa Community Health Needs, LMJ 47:1:13-17, 1999, Jamal N, Choucair B, Khalil H, Hamadeh G.
  • Health Care for the Homeless in America, Am Fam Physician, 2006 Oct 1;74(7):1132-8.
  • Homelessness and Healthcare: Considerations for Evaluation, Management, and Support within the Primary Care Domain, Disease-a-Month, 2010 Dec 56(12):719-733. Koon A, Kantayya V, Choucair B.
  • Program to Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening in Low-Income, Racially Diverse Population: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Annals of Family Medicine, 2012 Sept/October 10 (5): 412-417. Jean-Jacques M., Kaleba E., Gatta J., Gracia G., Ryan E., Choucair, B.
  • Chicago Health Atlas: Engaging in Public Health Surveillance Beyond the Confines of the Local Health Department, NACCHO Exchange, winter 2013 12(1). Jones R, Choucair B., O’Neil D., Kho A. Regional Extension Center.
• Select Abstracts
  • An Innovative Governmental Approach to Childhood Obesity Prevention in Chicago: The Inter-Departmental Task Force on Childhood Obesity, 2010. American Public Health Association 138th Annual Meeting and Expo. Choucair B, Harrington J, Herd J, Becker A, Bozlak C.
  • Poverty Medicine Collaborative: Global Health Experience for Medical Students. 2008. American Academy of Family Physicians Global Health Conference. Choucair B, Koon A.

References

1. "40 under 40 2012: Bechara Choucair". Crain's Chicago Business. December 1, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
2. "Kaiser names first chief community health officer". Modern Healthcare. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
3. "Public Health Leadership". City of Chicago.
4. Blog, NPHR (2014-06-12). "An Interview with Bechara Choucair, a Leader in the Journey to a Healthy Chicago!". NPHR Blog. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
5. "Choucair Appointed Commissioner of Public Health". Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. 8 December 2009.
6. "Bechara Choucair, MD". Illinois.gov. 8 December 2009.
7. "City of Chicago 2013 Budget Overview" (PDF). City of Chicago.
8. "City Gets New Prescription for Better Health". Chicago Tribune.
9. "Healthy Chicago" (PDF). City of Chicago.
10. "Shaping Healthy Behaviors with PlayStreets". Chicago Medical Society.
11. "Bechara N Choucair, MD/MS Profile". Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
12. "Kaiser names first chief community health officer". Modern Healthcare. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
13. "Kaiser Permanente Commits $2 Million to Gun Injury Prevention Research - Kaiser Permanente Share". Kaiser Permanente Share. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
14. "Kaiser Permanente Announces $200 Million Impact Investment, Partners With U.S. Mayors and CEOs to Address Housing Stability - Kaiser Permanente Share". Kaiser Permanente Share. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
15. "Kaiser Permanente chief health officer tapped as Biden vaccinations coordinator". bizjournals.com. from the original on 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
16. "Kaiser Permanente chief health officer tapped as Biden vaccinations coordinator". San Francisco Business Times. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
17. Tozzi, John (November 21, 2021). "Biden Vaccinations Coordinator Choucair Leaving White House". Bloomberg News. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
18. "Bechara Choucair on LinkedIn: Today marks my last day as the White House Vaccinations Coordinator | 292 comments".
19. "Bechara Choucair, MD, Returns as Chief Health Officer".
20. "MAHA News Before August, 2016". Midwest Asian Health Association. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
21. "Friend For Life Award". Howard Brown Health Center.
22. "40 Under 40: 2012 - Crain's Chicago Business". www.chicagobusiness.com. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
23. "100 Most Influential People in Healthcare - 2019". Modern Healthcare. 6 February 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2019.

External links

• Chicago Department of Public Health
• Crain's 40 under 40: 2012