Get the latest delivered to your inbox
Privacy Policy

Now Reading

Governance Institute Survey on Governance Identifies Key Practices on Great Governance and Identifies Areas for Improvement

Governance Institute Survey on Governance Identifies Key Practices on Great Governance and Identifies Areas for Improvement

Published 01-14-04

Submitted by Governance Institute, The

SAN DIEGO - The newly released 2003 Hospital and Health System Governance Survey, Governance Forecast: Board Performance, Challenges, & Opportunities, highlights that effective governance is a key factor in top-performing organizations. It is the first of its kind in the industry to identify key practices that point to great governance. Unlike previous survey reports from The Governance Institute, this year's survey covers both hospitals and health systems. It combines objective information on components of governance such as board size and compositions, term limits, board meeting content – with information on actual practices in boards' primary duties and responsibilities. It then calls for overall performance assessments in these duties and responsibilities. The survey results help boards and executives focus on areas for improvement in governance. Key findings include:


  • As the amount of board meeting time spent on strategy and policy increases, so does the performance rating of the board.

  • The average amount of money spent annually on board education was highest among those who rated their boards' overall performance as "peak."

  • A significantly greater percentage of those who said they routinely follow the practices listed in the survey evaluated their board's
    overall performance as "peak."

Overall, the survey shows that boards received good ratings in the areas of financial oversight and strategic planning, but fared relatively poorly in quality oversight, board self-assessment and development, and advocacy. This year Citigroup, New York, New York; Kaufman, Hall & Associates, Northfield, Illinois; and Gardner Carton & Douglas, Chicago, Illinois, helped The Governance Institute develop the final report. Their partial underwriting of this project is concrete evidence of these organizations' commitment to promote, improve, and lead in not-for-profit healthcare governance throughout the United States. Governance Forecast: Board Performance, Challenges, and Opportunities is the latest release of The Governance Institute's surveys of hospitals and health systems. For a copy of the report, please contact The Governance Institute.

For further information, please contact: Carlin Lockee of The Governance Institute, +1-858-909-0811.

Governance Institute, The

Governance Institute, The

More from Governance Institute, The

Join today and get the latest delivered to your inbox