The chief operating officer of the Cook County Health and Hospital System will leave his job at the end of November.

David Small, who led the system as CEO until William Foley took over in May, is moving on to other professional opportunities, according to a letter Foley sent Monday to County Board President Todd Stroger and Cook County commissioners.

Small was tapped last year to lead the fledgling health system board on an interim basis after it was made independent of the county board.

Foley praised him for securing federal funds to help Medicaid patients, negotiating the health system's budget with commissioners and streamlining the system's revenue cycle.

Small's departure opens another position Foley and the system board must fill. Currently, the system is seeking a public relations director, a compliance officer and a human resources director. Foley said last week that he is close to hiring a performance improvement officer to oversee the various consultants working at system facilities.