Excellence in Governance honorees manage change from the boardroom

Any institution undergoing significant change requires dynamic leadership from its board of directors or trustees.

In the healthcare space, not a day goes by where C-suite leaders aren't facing another financial threat or service-delivery challenge. They can't afford disengaged or ceremonial boards. CEOs need guidance, a sounding board and sometimes a swift kick in the pants to ensure their healthcare organizations—whether for-profit or not-for-profit—remain true to their mission while still maintaining a healthy balance sheet.

Today's board members are far more than bridges to the community. They are local leaders if for no other reason than that their institutions are usually a leading employer. And when you are on the board of the biggest job generator in town, the community is dependent on you for more than quality healthcare.

The people who won this year's Excellence in Governance awards are doers who took their internal and external responsibilities seriously. Our winner for health systems, Dianna Morgan, board chair of Orlando (Fla.) Health, stepped in at a turning point in the history of that institution and helped lead a transformation that set the stage for future success.

It can happen at a small institution like West Park Hospital District in Cody, Wyo., where board chair Melissa Fraser reached out to the local community to raise $3 million to construct a badly needed hospice unit. Or it can happen at a large institution like Baton Rouge (La.) General Hospital, where board Chair Dr. Evelyn Hayes had to take the reins as CEO when the incumbent announced his retirement.

Modern Healthcare revamped its trustees recognition program this year to reflect the broader demands being placed on boards of directors throughout the healthcare sector. We received nominations from Oct. 20, 2014, through Jan. 7 in four categories: health systems; large healthcare provider organizations, which included hospitals with more than 500 staffed beds or other providers with more than 5,000 employees; midsize organizations, which included hospitals with 101 to 500 beds or other providers with 1,000 to 5,000 employees; and small organizations, which included hospitals with 100 or fewer beds or other providers with fewer than 1,000 employees. Organizations could be not-for-profit or for-profit.

Modern Healthcare's senior editors made the final determination in choosing this year's Excellence in Governance honorees. I hope that after reading the profiles of our four honorees, you'll agree we chose wisely.

—Merrill Goozner, Editor