Multis' delicate balancing act: corporate goals and local board autonomy

Do the responsibilities of local boards in multihospital systems differ from one system to another? Can local board autonomy be maintained within the corporate goals and mission of the system? This article, which is based on informal interviews with system executives, examines how a number of multihospital systems select local board members, what duties are typically delegated to local boards, and the powers reserved by corporate boards.