Nonprofit health systems: a promising new class of corporate citizen

Leading nonprofit health systems are demonstrating that communities can benefit from the emergence of this new class of corporate citizens. Just as the business sector has produced many good corporate citizens to the great advantage of American society, health systems with sufficient financial and organizational gravitas increasingly are assuming these roles, and in so doing, are making positive differences in their communities. More system leaders, however, must find compelling reasons to assume these demanding roles. They also must learn how to play citizenship roles more fully and effectively if the potential social good available through health systems' corporate citizenship is to be realized.