Recruiting the Right Mix
By Jim Gauss and Steven T. Valentine
Today’s environment makes a compelling case for adding out-of-community trustees to the board
Given the sweeping changes in health care, forward-thinking hospitals, systems and medical centers are carefully evaluating board member succession and recruitment. The challenging environment in which these organizations operate requires strong, knowledgeable boards whose members have deep insights into the field and a fundamental understanding of business, management practices and how to compete in a highly competitive market.
Identifying trustees with the right expertise and skills increasingly requires boards to think outside the box, or specifically outside the community. Recruiting out-of-community trustees responds to the growing need for broad perspectives on critical issues related to physicians, finance, quality, mergers and acquisitions, and a wide range of other areas. Progressive boards actively seek expertise in strategy, health plan and insurance risk, population health and value-based care, information and clinical technology, public policy, marketing and branding, among other key areas.