title: Board oversight of patient care quality in community health systems.
abstract: In hospitals and health systems, ensuring that standards for the quality of patient care are established and continuous improvement processes are in place are among the board's most fundamental responsibilities. A recent survey has examined governance oversight of patient care quality at 123 nonprofit community health systems and compared their practices with current benchmarks of good governance. The findings show that 88% of the boards have established standing committees on patient quality and safety, nearly all chief executive officers' performance expectations now include targets related to patient quality and safety, and 96% of the boards regularly receive formal written reports regarding their organizations' performance in relation to quality measures and standards. However, there continue to be gaps between present reality and current benchmarks of good governance in several areas. These gaps are somewhat greater for independent systems than for those affiliated with a larger parent organization.
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, General Hospital, 200 Hawkins Drive, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. lawrence-prybil@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Lawrence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Prybil
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brezinski
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zamba
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roach
authors.forename: Ammon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fillmore
mesh_terms: D003153:Community Health Services; D006075:Governing Board; D006801:Humans; D005791:Patient Care / Q000592:standards*; D024382:Professional Role; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States