Clinical quality is among the top two board priorities at about half of U.S. hospitals, according to a survey of hospital board chairs published
online today by Health Affairs. Six in 10 respondents had a quality subcommittee and said quality performance was on the agenda at every board meeting; four in 10 identified clinical quality among the top two priorities for evaluating CEO performance; and three in 10 said their boards received formal training in clinical quality. The study, by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, found boards at hospitals with better quality scores were more likely to focus on quality. "Our data provide clear evidence of an association between an engaged board and high quality care, although we cannot yet pinpoint a causal link," said lead author Ashish Jha.
