Health care reform is playing an integral part in Blanchard Valley Health System's decision to consider more efficient ways to deliver health care.

During this nationwide reform, health care providers are moving from a fee-for-service reimbursement system that rewards volume and toward a system where providers are rewarded for providing value as defined by higher quality and lower costs.

In order to improve value to the health care consumer, providers will have to become more coordinated in the provision of care and provide more seamless continuums of care. One major initiative to support this significant change at Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) is the transition to a single board governance structure.

For many years, BVHS had multiple boards and committees to oversee operations which included Blanchard Valley Health System, Blanchard Valley Regional Health Center (Blanchard Valley Hospital and Bluffton Hospital), Blanchard Valley Continuing Care Services and Blanchard Valley Medical Practices.

On June 18, the current BVHS board voted to create a single board for the entire organization with four supporting sub-committees. Those sub-committees include the Quality Committee, Finance Committee, Compliance and Audit Committee and Governance and Nominating Committee.

At the onset of this transition, a governance task force, comprised of current board members, was developed. Guided by industry and American Hospital Association (AHA) benchmarks, the task force spent many hours reviewing current board structure, roles and processes and considering how they could be improved to better position the health system to meet the challenges of health care reform.

Over several months, the task force determined appropriate board structure, developed policies and processes and nominated new governance membership composition.

The selection of the representatives for the single board was determined through a host of considerations including competencies (skills and experience), personal attributes and demographics. Under the single board governance structure each member will be appointed for up to three years.

The board will consist of 19 elected positions:
(Eric Bostick, MD, Cheryl Buckland, Karen Cline, David Eubanks, Kurt Geisheimer, Duane Jebbett, Karen Klassen Harder, PhD, Andrea Koepke, Eric Kurjan, Joe Longo, Steve McCullough, DO, Randall Myers, RPh, Rod Nichols, Nancy Orel, PhD, Garry Peiffer, William Reist, LeRoy Schroeder, MD, Kim Stumpp and Paul Worstell), two ex-officio voting positions (Scott Malaney, BVHS president and chief executive officer, and Rick Polder, MD, BVHF board chair) and three ex-officio non-voting positions (president of the Auxiliary, president of the BVRHC medical staff and a Hancock County Commissioner).

"Building a better board structure in this new era of accountability plays a significant role in the financial health of our organization. We are truly fortunate to have board members who are committed not only to the health system but to our communities, as well," said Malaney.