SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 74
(By Senators Prezioso, Stollings, Plymale, Edgell and Foster)
Requesting the Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human
Resources Accountability study the state of governance of not-
for-profit health care organizations.
Whereas, Effective boards of directors govern effective health
care organizations that deliver high quality health care services;
and
Whereas, Communities benefit from effective health care
organizations through improved use of scarce resources in ways that
best address residents' health needs; and
Whereas, West Virginia and its citizens would directly benefit
from effectively and efficiently governed health care
organizations; and
Whereas, Directors of not-for-profit health care organizations
have the fiduciary responsibilities of care and loyalty to the
organizations they serve; and
Whereas, Well-governed health care organizations demonstrate
improved accountability for use of taxpayers' funds; and
Whereas, Directors of not-for-profit health care organizations
must ensure that government funds are wisely invested and prudently
spent to further the health care organizations' missions without
conflicts of interest; and
Whereas, Governance standards of performance have been
developed by other organizations, but they are not specific to
health care organizations; and
Whereas, The West Virginia Legislature needs to study the
applicability of such general standards to health care
organizations; and
Whereas, The development of governance performance standards
applicable to health care organizations could provide specific and
relevant objectives which could serve as a foundation for state
government to consider providing incentives for voluntary
compliance with the standards; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human
Resources Accountability is hereby requested to study the state of
governance of not-for-profit health care organizations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the study should address the quality of
governance of not-for-profit health care organizations in West
Virginia, applicability of governance standards developed by other
organizations to health care organizations and development of
incentives to encourage voluntary compliance with governance
performance standards applicable to health care organizations in
West Virginia; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Legislative Oversight Committee on
Health and Human Resources Accountability shall consult with the Center for Rural Health Development to facilitate work necessary to
effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Legislative Oversight Committee on
Health and Human Resources Accountability report to the regular
session of the Legislature, 2008, on its findings, conclusions and
recommendations, together with any drafts of legislation necessary
to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Legislative Oversight
Committee on Health and Human Resources Accountability.