Raising the Bar: Increased Accountability, Transparency, and Board Performance

The Governance Institute's 2005 Biennial Survey of Hospitals and Healthcare Systems

The Governance Institute's 2005 survey of governance practices was distributed to chief executive officers of not-for-profit acute care hospitals and health systems across the U.S. in February 2005, and responses were collected until the end of June 2005. The survey questionnaire covered board composition, board restructuring, term limits, committees, management participation on the board, board meeting frequency, board member compensation, board education, allocation of decision-making responsibilities between systems and subsidiaries, and board meeting content.

Respondents were also asked to rate the importance of 57 best governance practices and to indicate whether their board follows each of those practices. These best practices reflect a consensus of governance experts and apply across the three fundamental duties of care, loyalty, and obedience, as well as the six core responsibilities of boards: financial oversight, quality oversight, setting strategic direction, board selfassessment and development, management oversight, and advocacy.

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