Characteristics and Educational Needs of Rural Acute Care Hospital Boards of Directors

Candidates available to serve on Boards of Directors at rural acute care hospitals are limited. Nonetheless, the policy and legal environment surrounding hospitals is becoming more complex, making effective governance essential. The goal of the study is to characterize rural Boards of Directors in terms of background, perceived roles, and perceived needs for training and development.

We will conduct a mail survey of rural prospective payment (PPS) and critical access (CAH) hospitals, working from an instrument currently being used in South Carolina. A random sample of 400 PPS and 400 CAH hospitals will be drawn. Hospital Chief Executive Officers, identified from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey Database, will be asked to provide contact information for Board members, who will then receive a mailed survey form. A technical report to ORHP will summarize Board characteristics and highlight training needs. Key findings and the executive summary will be posted on the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center website.

There may be products related to this project; please contact the lead researcher for more information.