Who Makes Decisions
Q: Who is responsible for making decisions at MGH?
A: The Board of Directors, made up primarily of volunteer community leaders, make policy decisions about patient care, finances, strategic planning and community benefit. The Board approves such critical issues as nurse staffing, the addition of new physicians to the medical staff, and the terms of new labor contracts.
The Board also decides when to buy new equipment, upgrade facilities, and how to best serve the community through various programs, including health screenings, community education and prevention programs and counseling.
Q: What is Sutter Health's role in the decision making process?
A: Sutter Health's main job is to support the activities of its affiliates because this helps to strengthen the integrity of its system. It's like the mortar that holds a brick patio together. An affiliate's first responsibility is to the community and then to the entire system.
While Sutter Health does not dictate local operating decisions, it does review and approve certain decisions, such as mergers or reorganizations, and capital and operating budgets, including decisions to acquire capital items such as a new fire alarm system and a new x-ray department at MGH.
Sutter Health does not review these decisions until after they are first initiated and approved by the Board of Directors and the Marin Community Health Board of Directors. This multiple review is done to ensure consistent strategic decision making systemwide and to guarantee that the actions of affiliates are coordinated to support and improve shared goals and objectives.