Effective governance is central to high-performing independent medical groups. In fact, physician-led governance is a competitive advantage for independent groups who can respond to market changes with more agility and physician buy-in than their hospital counterparts. As groups grow larger and face more complex challenges, however, legacy governance models can stall transformation.

Use the toolkits, templates, and resources below to strengthen your independent group’s governance.

Structure your governance model

• Evolving Independent Medical Group Governance
  Learn the six elements of an effective medical group board that serves group-wide interests and focuses on long-term strategy.
  
  
• Independent Medical Group Board Structure Diagnostic
  Assess your board's alignment with our best practices and identify opportunities for improvement.

Scope roles in the decision-making process

• Decision-Making Matrix
  Understand the board, executive team, committee, and shareholder’s role in common decisions and proactively assign roles to make decision-making more efficient.
  
  
• Board Delegation Exercise
  Use this exercise to delegate decisions and agenda items that regularly come to board meetings to other leadership forums for deliberation.
  
  
• Ideal Board Member Exercise
  Agree on transparent criteria that your nominating committee can use to select future board members and build physician trust in the election process.
  
  
• Introduction to Board Service Ready-to-Use Slides
  Help new board members understand their roles and core responsibilities at independent groups.
  
  
• Sample Shareholder Onboarding Program
  Review how The Iowa Clinic onboards new physicians around shared expectations for what it means to be a shareholder and their role in decisions.

Ensure effective group governance

• Board Self-Evaluations
  Use this series of short audits to help your board continually evaluate the performance of their meetings, decision-making processes, and board members themselves.
  
  
• Meeting Agenda Templates
  Pick the right type of agenda for your next meeting to improve efficiency and ensure you meet your goals.
  
  
• Board and Committee Ground Rules Exercise
  Generate a list of ground rules for future meetings to build trust, establish norms for collaboration, and ensure everyone is on the same page.
  
  
• The Committee Effectiveness Toolkit
  Download this toolkit to improve the effectiveness of your committees and boost physician participation.
  
  
• Annual Committee Proposal Retrospective
  Learn how Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg retroactively reviews key board decisions to improve the quality of committee proposals.

Equip physicians for future board service

• How Independent Medical Groups Prepare Physicians for Board Service
  Learn how two groups partner with outside organizations to offer physician leadership training.
  
  
• Strengthening Your Physician Leadership Development Program
  While most independent groups partner out, those building an in-house leadership training program should answer the questions in this research report.
  
  
• The Physician Executive's Guide to Succession Management
  Proactively identify your group’s next generation of physician leaders and board members.

Manage change across the organization

• The Physician Executive's Guide to Change Leadership
  Use this toolkit to keep physicians front and center as you roll out any new initiative or change.
  
  
• Tools to Communicate Across the Physician Enterprise
  Craft a physician-specific communication strategy to ensure high-priority messages reach all physicians and advance large-scale change.