Board Work: Governing Health Care Organizations

American College of Healthcare Executives 2000 James A. Hamilton book of the year award

Written by Dennis Pointer and James Orlikoff, two of the most experienced and highly regarded governance consultants in the country, Board Work presents a practical model focusing on those factors that most affect board performance. Rich with prescriptive information, practical ideas, assessment tools, and examples, Pointer and Orlikoff provide the expert coaching boards need to do their best work and add value to their organizations.

Based on the authors' forty years of combined experience, this eye-opening book arms boards with tools and techniques to significantly enhance their performance and contributions. Pointer and Orlikoff forward concrete recommendations for implementing benchmark governance systems and practices, creating the essential guide for those who want to make a real difference on behalf of communities they serve.

"This is the best book on health care organization governance I have ever read."
--Stephen Shortell, Blue Cross of California Distinguished Professor of Health Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley

DENNIS D. POINTER is principal of Dennis D. Pointer & Associates, which has provided governance consultation and development services to more than three hundred health care organizations, nonprofits, governmental agencies, and commercial corporations. He has written many books and articles, including Really Governing, winner of the American College of Healthcare Executives Book of the Year Award. Dr. Pointer holds the John J. Hanlon Chair of Health Care Research and Policy in the Graduate School of Public Health at San Diego State University. He is also the Austin Ross Professor, Department of Health Services, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington (Seattle).

JAMES E. ORLIKOFF is president of Orlikoff & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in health care governance and leadership. A nationally recognized authority on effective governance, he has written ten books and more than fifty articles, and has consulted with more than five hundred organizations to strengthen their governance effectiveness. He is the National Advisor on Governance and Leadership to the American Hospital Association and the Health Forum and is a founding member of the Governance Advisors of the Governance Institute where he is a member of the faculty.

Welcome to the Board Why Governance? Governance for Whom? Governance Checkup Benchmark Governance Practices.

The New Game of Governance Two Faces of Change The Revolution in Health Care Governance Checkup Benchmark Governance Practices.

Governance Performance and Contributions.

Governance Responsibilities Ends Management Performance Quality of Care Finances Self Benchmark Governance Practices.

Governance Functioning Policy Formulation Decision Making Oversight Benchmark Governance Practices Essence of the Verb "to Govern".

Governance Structure Issues in System Governance Structure Board Size Committee Structure Principles of Effective Structure Governance Checkup Benchmark Governance Practices.

Governance Composition Casting Basics Composition Models Term Limits Removing a Board Member Ex Officio Members Community Representation Governance Checkup Benchmark Governance Practices.

Governance Infrastructure The Effective Governance Pyramid Annual Board Goals and Objectives Annual Board Work Plans Board AgAnda Control Board Information Control Evaluation Vision Related Governance Issues Governance Checkup Benchmark Governance Practices.

Board Membership Checkup Thirty-Eight (Really) Great Ideas for Becoming a Better Board Person.

Transforming Governance How Does Your Board Rate? The Governance Performance Map The Transformation Process The Last Word.

Appendix A: A Profile of Health System and Hospital Governance.

Appendix B: Illustrative Board Policies.

Appendix C: Illustrative Committee Charters.

Appendix D: Governance Resources.

References and Bibliography.

Index.