Chair File: Supporting the Board’s Pivotal Role in Advancing Health

As the health care field has evolved, so has health care governance. Besides fulfilling traditional fiduciary responsibilities like approving budgets, today’s hospital and health system board members are collaborating with leadership to address workforce shortages, recommend ways to mitigate cybersecurity risks, discuss the pros and cons of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, and provide strategic guidance on quality, safety and many other critical issues.

I’ve seen firsthand that effective board members care deeply about the role of hospitals and health systems, not only in providing quality care to patients and families but also in serving their communities. Serving on a board is an awesome responsibility that requires a commitment of time and talent and a fierce sense of duty. In turn, it’s the responsibility of hospital leadership to build a strong board and support board members so they are knowledgeable about the organization and the entire health care field.

Strong boards are diverse — in gender, age, race, experience and expertise — and reflect the communities they serve. Strong boards foster a culture that encourages members to discuss their different experiences and perspectives and to leverage those differences toward shared goals and solutions. These boards also prioritize continuous learning about the organization, the health needs of the community and the complex issues in health care.

The AHA supports good governance and offers an array of resources for hospital leadership teams, covering everything from orienting new board members to the board’s role in quality and patient safety to building a governing board strategy on diversity and health equity. AHA Trustee Services serves as the hub for efforts to help hospital and health system leaders and board members navigate the transforming health care landscape.

Boards play a pivotal role in ensuring a health care organization’s strategies and budgets result in actions that drive performance, impact and measurable progress. I applaud those who currently serve or have served on a hospital or health system board at the smallest community hospitals to the biggest urban medical centers. Thank you for your dedication and work in helping advance health and health care for patients and families. Great boards are the backbone of our success.