Hospital board oversight of quality and patient safety: A narrative review and synthesis of recent empirical research (December 2013)

Summary

Recurring problems with patient safety have led to a growing interest in helping hospitals’ governing bodies provide more effective oversight of the quality and safety of their services. National directives and initiatives emphasize the importance of action by boards, but the empirical basis for informing effective hospital board oversight has yet to receive full and careful review. This article presents a narrative review of empirical research to inform the debate about hospital boards’ oversight of quality and patient safety.