Pat Merryweather-Arges serves as Executive Director of Project Patient Care (PPC) where she is a co-leader of all PPC initiatives, including its work in federal healthcare transformation, advocating authentic patient and family engagement across all healthcare settings, and PPC organizational development activities.

Prior to joining PPC, Pat served as the Executive Director of the Illinois, Iowa, and Colorado Medicare Quality Improvement Organization programs from 2011 to November, 2016. She implemented measurable quality care improvement initiatives of the federal government and developed collaborative learning and action networks aimed at improving individual and resident patient care; integrated care delivery systems; and prevention of disease and disease advancement. She partnered with hospitals, nursing homes, home health, physician practices, and patients and families along with their trade associations, professional organizations, and government and non-governmental organizations.

As the Senior Vice President with the Illinois Hospital Association for 26 years, Pat was the healthcare information and health care quality and policy liaison with local, state, and national public and private organizations. Pat also had the responsibility for development and all management aspects of COMPdata (on-line comparative information network) and performance measurement development and services in Illinois and five other states. Pat also developed and managed the on-line consumer resource, Illinois Hospitals Caring for You web site. Pat developed and implemented the Quality Care Institute (QCI) that was built on existing hospital and IHA quality and safety initiatives and designed to promote innovative programs for measurably improving the quality of patient care.

Pat believes strongly in giving back to the community and providing pathways going forward for youth and adults in need.  Pat currently serves on several boards and committees, including National Association for Health Data Organization Board; Collaboraction Board and Executive Committee; St. Bernard Hospital Board and Chair of Quality and Safety Committee; Cook County Health Quality and Safety Committee of the Board; Illinois Public Health Institute Board; Naperville Rotary Charities Board; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Rotary Action Board; Illinois DPH HAI/AR Advisory Committee; Jesse Brown VA Community Partnership Committee; Chicago American Red Cross Heroes Committee; and Chicago Build the Peace Committee.

Pat also serves as the Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator volunteering with Rotary International working with 16 Districts representing over 900 Rotary Clubs. Pat has served in many volunteer capacities with Rotary as a District Governor and Chair of the U.S. Peacebuilding Conference in 2018 and Zone Institute in 2016.  She has worked on health care assessments and planning; solar energy; peace building; water, sanitation, and hygiene; women enterprise; and health and healthcare projects in Chicago, Jordan, India, China, Dominican Republic, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Panama, Mexico, Haiti, and Slovakia and has participated in projects in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Samoa.

Pat is also a bed-side child life volunteer with Lurie Children’s Hospital for a total of 28 years from 1978 to present (taking breaks in volunteering at times for family and work needs). Pat is married to George and they have a wonderful family with four sons; three daughters-in-law; and six grandchildren.