Contributed Articles + White Papers
Insightful Articles for Esteemed Healthcare Organizations
Welcome to our thought leadership hub, where Via Healthcare Consulting takes center stage in contributing insightful articles and white papers to esteemed organizations like the American Hospital Association (AHA). Dive into a wealth of contributed articles that span governance best practices, managing healthcare boards, CEO and leadership development, and tips for operational efficiency. Our curated collection reflects our commitment to shaping the conversation around transformative healthcare strategies. Explore the forefront of industry insights, thought-provoking analyses, and innovative solutions crafted by ViaHCC’s seasoned experts. Embrace a journey of continuous learning and strategic enlightenment as we share our expertise with the healthcare community. Looking for a contributing author?
What's on the Minds of Board Leaders?
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARA WITALIS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, JUNE 2024 |
Four board chairs from across the country take the mic to declare what’s on their minds about the opportunities and challenges for the current and future state of health care, as well as the nuts and bolts of governance and leadership.
Planning for the Day after Tomorrow
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: LINDA SUMMERS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, MARCH 2024 | Although management plays a role in setting objectives and tactics of the strategic plan, the responsibility for setting the strategic direction of a hospital or health system ultimately belongs to the board of trustees. The best plans are often simple, fluid, dynamic – and front and center to the organization’s direction.
The Ever-important Role of Hospital Community Boards
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARA WITALIS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, OCTOBER 2023 | Nonprofit hospitals and health systems that double down on strong community governance not only have increased likelihood of staying true to their mission, but also have distinct strategic advantages over those that do not.
The Important Role of Trustee Advocacy
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARA WITALIS + LINDA SUMMERS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, JUNE 2023 | CEOs from four health systems around the country describe what is on their advocacy agendas and their strategies for leveraging the voice of their trustees to help build organizational resiliency and fortitude.
Health Equity Crosses All Board Responsibilities
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: LINDA SUMMERS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, APRIL 2023 | Eliminating health disparities and improving health equity should be the responsibility of all health care leadership, beginning with the board. How the board carries that important work through all of its responsibilities will be a crucial component of health care’s success, or lack thereof, in improving health equity.
When Hospital/Health System and Foundation Boards Intersect
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: ERICA M. OSBORNE | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, JANUARY 2023 | As economic pressures tighten, philanthropy has become an integral source of funding for hospitals and health systems. Understanding how the hospital board and foundation board can collaborate and connect can help maximize an organization’s ability to raise philanthropic support within their communities.
How to Navigate Complex, Multitiered Governance
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: LINDA SUMMERS, ERICA M. OSBORNE AND KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, DECEMBER 2022 | Affiliations and mergers and acquisitions have resulted in complex health systems with several layers of governance. Successfully navigating this multitiered structure takes defining roles and expectations for executive leadership and all the levels of governance.
Boards Must Address Equity Competencies
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS SEPTEMBER 2022 | To ensure health equity for patients and community members, board members should understand equity co mpetencies required of the healthcare workforce, leadership, and governance.
Crucial Conversations on Health Equity: Is Your Board Ready?
CONTRIBUTING PRESENTER: KARMA H. BASS | AHA WEBINAR, MAY 2022 | ViaHCC's Managing Principal Karma Bass and Dr. Maria Hernandez, President/COO of Impact4Health, discuss how governing boards can use a survey tool to guide their efforts with health equity oversight.
A Governance Model to Get Physicians on Board
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHT, MARCH 2022 | Medical group governance can address physician burnout and provide physicians with decision-making influence that can increase provider satisfaction.
Overseeing Health Equity in the Age of Emerging Risk
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, MAY 2022 | Providing high quality, equitable care requires aligning strategic priorities in community health and population health with efforts to achieve health equity for patients and communities.
10 Questions Boards Can Answer to Advance Health Equity
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, JANUARY 2022 | By addressing these key questions, governing boards can better understand the impact of COVID-19 on their underserved populations and take key actions that drive health equity.
Board Diversity Survey to Advance Health Equity
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, SEPTEMBER 2021 | Governing boards can use a ready-made survey tool to identify their strengths and weaknesses to oversee efforts that address racial bias and achieve health equity for their patients and communities.
Diverse Board Members Offer Their Perspectives
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: ERICA M. OSBORNE | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, JULY 2021 | Seasoned board members share key insights on how to attract and retain trustees of diverse ages, gender, race, ethnicity, and other attributes.
Board Diversity Lessons Learned
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: ERICA M. OSBORNE | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, JUNE 2021 | CEOs from three leading health systems share their journey building governing boards that are diverse in terms of age, gender, race, ethnicity, and other attributes.
The Thing About Diversity Is…”
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS AND ERICA M. OSBORNE | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS APRIL 2021 | Healthcare leaders can identify misconceptions that derail diversity efforts and key actions they can take to avoid them to build board diversity success.
5 Steps to Achieving Diversity on Your Board
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS AND ERICA M. OSBORNE | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, JANUARY 2021 | These key steps can serve healthcare leaders as guideposts to building a governing board with trustees of diverse ages, gender, race, ethnicity, and other attributes.
Recruiting for a Diverse Health Care Board
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, NOVEMBER 2020 | These practices and processes represent key drivers of success in building a governing board, comprised of trustees of diverse ages, gender, race, ethnicity, and other attributes.
Getting to the New Normal in Health Care
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: ERICA M. OSBORNE AND KARA WITALIS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, NOVEMBER 2020 | A governing board can follow these key practices to help their hospital and health systems recover after a crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tackling Health Equity: A Two-Part Podcast for Trustees
GUEST SPEAKER: KARMA H. BASS | AHA TRUSTEE PODCAST, AUGUST 2020 | ViaHCC's Managing Principal Karma Bass and Dr. Maria Hernandez, President/COO of Impact4Health, discuss how hospital and health system governing boards are advancing health equity.
Building Hospital-Community Partnerships
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: ERICA M. OSBORNE, KARA L. WITALIS AND KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, AUGUST 2020 | Leaders from several health systems and community organizations offer guidance on how to develop partnerships to address social determinants of health (SDoH) and better serve community needs.
Board Guidelines for a Time of Crisis
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS AND BRAD D. CLARKE | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, APRIL 2020 | These guidelines identify the do’s and don’ts of governance oversight during the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be applied to any crisis situation.
Exploring a Variety of Ways to Transform System Governance
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: ERICA M. OSBORNE, KARA L. WITALIS AND KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, JANUARY 2020 | Eight Catholic U.S. health systems offer their success stories in redesigning their governance structures to address health system consolidation and centralization.
Reimagining Multitiered Governance in Health Care
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS, AUGUST 2019 | A more contemporary approach to hospital and community-level governance better reflects the changes resulting from the consolidation trend across the U.S. healthcare industry.
Five Questions Board Leaders Should Be Asking Themselves in 2016
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | BECKER'S HOSPITAL REVIEW, JANUARY 2016 | Healthcare leaders and governing boards should ask these questions about five key issues to steer their organizations toward success in the New Year.
The Board’s Evolving Role in Quality Oversight
AUTHOR: ERICA M. OSBORNE AND KARMA H. BASS | VIAHCC WHITE PAPER, 2015 | Reforms in healthcare delivery and payment have resulted in a transformation in how governing boards fulfill their duty of quality and patient safety oversight.
A Matter of Perspective | The best boards respect the line between governing and managing
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS 2014 | Governing boards must understand the difference between governance and management or risk conflict with hospital leadership and unmet expectations.
Why Board Culture Matters | Interpersonal and group dynamics can affect the entire organization
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | TRUSTEE INSIGHTS 2012 | Poor relationships and unhealthy group dynamics can lead to ineffective governance and negatively impact the performance of a hospital or health system.
Board Oversight of Quality: Any Differences in Process of Care and Mortality?
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: KARMA H. BASS | JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT, 2009 | Better hospital quality performance, specifically in the process of care and mortality, may be associated with six key practices of board oversight of quality.
All Trustee and Trustee Insights articles are used with permission of the American Hospital Association
