Partners.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Governance
• Health Services Administration

Background:

• The Salt Lake Clinic faced challenges with organizational structure despite well-defined values.
• A shift towards a consumer-oriented environment necessitated broader stakeholder consideration beyond partners/shareholders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the imbalance in clinic governance.
• To integrate community, business, and consumer interests into the clinic's decision-making structure.

Main Methods:

• Appointment of a lay advisory board.
• Selection of board members with diverse civic, business, community, and consumer backgrounds.

Main Results:

• Implementation of a more balanced governance model.
• Inclusion of external perspectives to inform clinic strategy and operations.

Conclusions:

• A lay advisory board can enhance healthcare organization governance.
• Balancing internal accountability with external stakeholder representation is crucial for success in a competitive healthcare landscape.