Health Care Organization Board
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Health Care Organization Board
The successful running of any organization is dependent mostly on its leadership structure. Health care organizations are no exception. Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was introduced, the health care industry has been experiencing more significant changes than almost any other business, especially, in how they provide and bill for services (Price, 2018). Typically, a medical institution’s leadership is headed by a board of trustees chaired by a chief executive officer (CEO). The board oversees committees that are directly involved with the daily activities of the organization. Each committee has distinct functions.
The board has three overarching roles, including the establishment of policies, significant and strategic decision-making, and proper oversight of the operations of the company. Policies describe the focus of the firm and distinguish the roles among the board, the administration, and the medical team (Arnwine, 2002). Additionally, properly-established policies are crucial in the effective running of the board. Regarding strategic decision making, the board has a responsibility to make decisions that directly affect the operations and growth of the business. For instance, the committee may decide to partner with another organization to accomplish the organization’s vision. Oversight implies the legal responsivity of the board to all the operations of the various departments of the facility.
As with other organizations, the hospital governance structure is dependent on the size of the hospitals, especially if there are multiple branches. In any case, the following will be present, including administrative services, health care operations, information, as well as financial services. Additionally, there might be a strategic planning committee. The administrative services committee deals with public relations, marketing and public policy. The health care operations committee handles the various departments in direct contact with patients, namely: in-patient, outpatient, ambulatory operations, laboratory, pharmacy, and imaging services. Information services committee is responsible for providing network services such as an intranet, extranet, and the internet, as well as data management for decision-making purposes. The finance committee manages the organization’s treasury, accounting, revenue, and real estate.
In the running of any group of members of a particular profession, the intuitive way forward is to have the same members selected to be part of the governing council: a type of democracy. The Joint Commission requires the medical workforce to be part of the governing body as full members or have one or more representatives during the board meetings (Great Boards, 2011). Once on the board, these ex officio members may or may not have voting power in making decisions for the hospital. However, this practice is discouraged, and instead, board members are chosen depending on their objective credentials. This move is intended to ensure the board’s independence and, thus, objective oversight. Conversely, the boards with appointed members who are aligned with or are ‘inside’ the hospital would potentially cloud their supervision due to personal interests getting in the way. This would involve hiring medical personnel that are not compensated by the organization in any amount and are not reported to have any direct business transaction with the organization. The board’s independence is crucial in ensuring its fiduciary responsibility is upheld. In this way, the hospital remains on the path to provide services that are patient-centered and evidence-based.
In conclusion, robust and competent governance often leads to a successful organization. An executive board that exercises oversight provides direction, and makes strategic decisions is indispensable. Committees that work together to accomplish the various objectives of the hospital are vital if the organization is to be effective in achieving its goals.
References
Arnwine, D. (2002). Effective governance: The roles and responsibilities of board members. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, 15(1), 19-22. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2002.11927809
Great Boards. (2011). Physicians on hospital boards: Time for new approaches. Retrieved 1 May 2020, from https://docplayer.net/17922054-Physicians-on-hospital-boards-time-for-new-approaches.html
Price, N. (2020). Board structure of a healthcare institution. BoardEffect. Retrieved 30 April 2020, from https://www.boardeffect.com/blog/board-structure-healthcare-institution/