Governance of Physician Organizations

Physician Organization Governance: Transformation and Three Perspectives

To understand how the governance of physician-led organizations is different, and similar, to that of health care systems, the AHA’s Center for Healthcare Governance and Physician Leadership Forum, with generous support from Hospira Inc., undertook a study to examine governance structures and functions in a diverse set of physician organizations—entities designed to engage physicians in the leadership, governance and decision-making of the clinical care enterprise. The resulting report, The Blue Ribbon Panel on Governance of Physician Organizations, examines how physician organizations govern themselves, how they come together as groups and how they impart the discipline and get the outcomes they need to be successful.

The study aimed to understand what governance practices currently exist among physician groups. Thirty-one physician leaders, executives and board members of six organizations were interviewed and shared their insights. The organizations studied included: Advocate Physician Partners, Downers Grove, Ill.; Billings Clinic, Billings, Mont., East Bay Physicians Medical Group, Lafayette, Calif.; Hill Physicians Medical Group, San Ramon, Calif.; Hospital Sisters Medical Group, Springfield, Ill; and Memorial Hermann Physician Network (MHMD), Houston.

In follow up to the report, the AHA convened an educational session to share highlights of the study and provide an in-depth examination from three leading-edge case studies. View the proceedings here.

2015 Blue Ribbon Panel Report: Governance of Physician Organizations

With the growth of health care organizations into larger and more complex care delivery systems, physician practices and other physician organizations are joining these systems and becoming critical collaborators and partners in their development. Physicians are assuming new clinical leadership and governance roles as part of care delivery transformation. Sharing their experiences and challenges in these roles is the focus of Governance of Physician Organizations: An Essential Step to Care Integration.

This monograph reports on a study of governance and leadership in six diverse physician organizations conducted by the Center and AHA’s Physician Leadership Forum, with generous support from Center affiliate member Hospira, Inc. Study organizations include: Advocate Physician Partners, Downers Grove, Ill.; Billings Clinic, Billings, Mont., East Bay Physicians Medical Group, Lafayette, Calif.; Hill Physicians Medical Group, San Ramon, Calif.; Hospital Sisters Medical Group, Springfield, Ill; and Memorial Hermann Physician Network (MHMD), Houston, Tex.

Thirty-one physician leaders, executives and board members were interviewed from these organizations and interview findings were reviewed and evaluated by an expert panel. The report:

• includes observations about study organizations and their governance structure and function,
• shares perspectives on the evolution of physician organizations and their governance,
• discusses opportunities and challenges for governance of physician organizations, and
• provides insights on the value of physician organizations and their governance for developing care systems and the communities they serve.

The report also includes question sets and an assessment tool to help other physician organizations reflect on their own governance and leadership. Additional tools and resources to apply study findings will be the focus of ongoing work by the Center in 2015.

We are pleased to share the results of this study, one of the first to explore these issues from the perspective of physicians involved in this important work. This study builds on ongoing research resulting in thought leadership resources, a core element of the Center’s mission and an ongoing benefit of Center membership.

Click here to view a copy of the report.