PHYSICIAN MEMBERSHIP ON HOSPITAL BOARDS BENEFITS, PROBLEMS, AND SOLUTIONS
A hospital's organizational structure is extremely complex. It is very important that hospitals develop strategies that will ease unnecessary pressures and allow for more focus on innovation and quality of care for its patients. An effective way to do this is to reorganize the hospital board and integrate participation of physicians. The board must have the right information to make effective decisions and the ability to work together as a team. With the right strategy, the hospital's goals can be met.
Benefits of Physicians on Hospital Boards
Physicians in governance bring many benefits to the hospital. The first of these benefits is adding physicians bring a clinical perspective to the board. Physician involvement can improve the quality of strategic planning and capital expansion activities. Physician board members also carry a fiduciary responsibility and gain a greater appreciation for the administrative perspective on financial decisions (Goes, 92).
Studies have shown that physician involvement in hospital governance will be positively related to hospital profitability and efficiency, and negatively related to uncompensated care and hospital costs. Hospitals with greater physician membership on their boards were more profitable, had higher occupancy rates, delivered less care that went uncompensated, and incurred lower average costs in ancillary services (Goes, 94).
Physicians on the hospital board give solutions to the hospital's relationship with the community. Physician participation gives back the three T's of governance?time, treasure, and talent (Totten, 49). The philanthropic suppo ...