"The range and depth of challenges facing health care organizations signal an industry in crisis. Governing boards must raise the bar on their performance and accountability to fulfill their most fundamental responsibility: to earn and maintain the public's trust in and commitment to the health care organizations they govern." -Building an Exceptional Board; Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Healthcare, 2007, from the Health Research and Education Trust (HRET)

Health care governance has attracted the attention of a number of regulatory and private bodies including the IRS, HHS, OIG, Bond Rating Agencies, Joint Commission and state agencies. There is a growing body of research that links good governance to organizational performance and tax exempt compliance. Boards are being challenged to "raise the bar" and be more accountable to the public.

With the increased pressure to perform, many boards find themselves in a complicated and dangerous place. Balancing the numerous needs of an organization with constantly changing regulation can be daunting. As the landscape of the entire industry of health care shifts, knowing the responsibilities and expectations of a governing board have become more important than ever.

Hall Render's Governance Consulting Group works with health systems and independent hospitals to develop practical approaches to assist governing bodies to become more efficient and effective, while addressing the challenges of the Board's performance and accountability with respect to compliance.

Our attorneys provide a strategic and practical approach for assessing the current condition of the board, implementing the necessary changes, and developing a plan for continued success.

Led by Rex Killian, one of the founding trio of Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, the Governance Consulting Group's clients benefit from Killian's experience as a health care and corporate attorney, both from the private practice with Hall Render and as general counsel to the second largest health system in the U.S., his experience as a Board Chair of a large regional health system and as a consultant concentrating his practice in corporate and governance services.

To learn more about Hall Render's governance services, please contact Rex Killian, Of Counsel, 314-504-2213 or via e-mail at rkillian@hallrender.com.

Governance:

• Board and Board Chair Succession Planning and Recruitment
• Board and Board Chair Evaluation
• Board Chair and CEO Relationship
• Board Retreats
• Board Processes
• Board Organization
• Board Education and Development Strategies
• Governance Committee
• Conflicts of Interest
• Regulatory Compliance
• Board Composition Strategy
• Monitoring Board Performance
• Governance Authority Matrix
• Board Orientation

• Rex P. Killian
• R. Terry Heath
• John C. Render
• William H. Thompson