MHA's Executive Briefing

HRET study examines roles of hospital governing boards

According to a study in the August issue of Health Services Research, hospital governing boards can be categorized based on their level of activity in three critical areas: mission and strategy setting, performance evaluation and oversight, and external relations. “The system of classification, or taxonomy, developed by the study is useful because it gives policy makers, health care executives and researchers a framework for understanding and discussing how boards spend their time and the emphasis they place on different governance functions,” said John Combes, M.D., president of the Center for Healthcare Governance and interim president of the Health Research & Educational Trust.

HRET conducted the study with researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Previous studies have categorized governing boards by structural characteristics, such as size or composition. HRET and the Center for Healthcare Governance are AHA affiliates.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Can You Hear Me Now?

Corporate boards function only as well as their members communicate with one another—and indeed, many recent scandals were enabled by reticent boards. To get a clearer picture of how board dynamics inhibit members from sharing information and speaking up, I observed two consecutive board meetings at each of five public U.S. companies and conducted individual interviews with their directors.

For the full story from Katharina Peck in The Harvard Business Review, click here.

Joint Commission Board delays medical staff standard MS 1.20

On Friday, the Joint Commission's Board of Commissioners agreed to suspend implementation of Standard MS 1.20, which addresses medical staff bylaws, rules and regulations, and interaction between medical staff and hospital leadership. The standard was scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2009, but meeting the deadline would have been difficult for hospitals if they had to make medical staff bylaw changes to be in compliance. The suspension comes from the recommendation of a task force that has been looking into how to mitigate concerns about the impact of revisions the Commission made to the standard in mid-2007. The Board agreed to extend the time frame so the task force can prepare a report for the Board's August meeting.  During this time, the Board will review the task force's full recommendations. The AHA is represented on the task force.

Several concerns are being addressed, including the new language coming as a surprise to the field, confusing language and concern that the standard will decrease responsibilities and authorities of the hospitals board and medical executive committee.

[Via AHA]

Monograph helps hospital boards guide P4P programs

A new monograph from the Center for Healthcare Governance provides hospital boards with a primer on pay-for-performance programs. The monograph explores the growth of the pay-for-performance movement, typical components of P4P programs, challenges they may hold for participants, and best practices to help board members understand and guide hospital involvement.

The publication can provide background information for new trustees or a board education session or retreat, and serve as a resource for the board’s quality committee or board members participating in hospital quality improvement efforts. To order any Center monograph, visit the Center’s Web site or contact the Center at (888) 540-6111 or info@americangovernance.com.

The Center for Healthcare Governance is the American Hospital Association’s resource for governance information, tools and counsel to promote excellence in health care governance.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Panel to identify trustee core competencies

The Center for Healthcare Governance and the Health Research & Educational Trust will convene an expert panel to identify trustee core competencies, which the center will use to develop educational resources for trustees. Chaired by Cambridge Health Alliance Trustee Richard de Filippi, the panel will include trustees, CEOs and experts in governance and leadership. It will complete its work by December 2008, and report the results at two Center symposia in 2009.

Funded by a grant from Hospira Inc., the project will build on the work of the center’s recent panel on effective health care governance practices. The Center for Healthcare Governance and HRET are American Hospital Association affiliates.

The Fish Stinks from its Head

Hospital leaders and their boards generally recognize that the board’s role is shifting. Boards no longer swoop in quarterly to check financial status and go on their merry way. They are involved in patient-safety rounds. They review quality scores. And they are hospital spokespeople in the community. For leaders, this means putting another hat on your already crowded head. Your job as board relationship manager extends far beyond the occasional dinner out.

For the full story, click here.

The Recession Talk Your Board Should Have

Don't waste valuable time discussing the nuts and bolts of cost-cutting. Your board should be asking if a recession presents any opportunities for growth. Given the increasing likelihood of a recession, board meetings in the next few weeks are certain to include discussions about course corrections to stave off potential earnings hits.

For the full story from Kevin P. Coyne in BusinessWeek, click here.

Center launches quality curriculum for trustees

The Center for Healthcare Governance has introduced a six-hour training program to help hospital board members increase accountability for quality at their hospitals and health systems. The Quality Curriculum for Trustees offers interactive sessions that include video segments, case history discussions and group exercises run by facilitators who specialize in quality and patient safety issues. The program was developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Hospital Association and with funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Monograph details leadership development strategies

A new monograph from the Center for Healthcare Governance describes how leadership succession "gotchas” - often overlooked challenges - can disrupt organizations and hamper their effectiveness. Deborah Cornwall and Wilmot Gravenslund of The Corlund Group discuss the importance of leadership development and succession planning and why many health care organizations do not focus on these processes as seriously as they should.

This monograph can serve as a primer on leadership development and transition planning for board members who are part of the CEO selection process or as a handbook for CEOs to better understand the leadership succession process and how to most effectively participate in it. To order any Center monograph, visit the Center’s Web site or contact the Center at (888) 540-6111 or info@americangovernance.com.

The Center for Healthcare Governance is the American Hospital Association’s resource for governance information, tools and counsel to promote excellence in health care governance.

AHA seeks candidates for Board of Trustees

The American Hospital Association Committee on Nominations seeks candidates for chair-elect of the Board of Trustees and five trustees at large, all of whom will take office Jan. 1, 2009. Candidates or those recommending candidates are asked to contact Michael Guerin, committee secretary, at (312) 422-2711 or mguerin@aha.org.

Members recommending candidates also may request an appointment to meet with the committee when it convenes at 1 p.m. April 6, during the AHA Annual Meeting in Washington.