The Transformation of the Health System: The Critical Role of Boards of Directors

This briefing examines the important role that governance plays in health care transformation. The Conference Board of Canada examined the governance systems in three provinces that have taken distinct approaches to health care governance. The provinces include a centralized approach (Alberta), a regionalized model (British Colombia), and a decentralized model (Ontario).

The briefing contains four distinct sections. It begins with a review of the history and current governance systems in the three provinces before turning to an overview of the key change mandates for each province. Next, it illustrates the ways in which these mandates are being operationalized within the realm of governance, and highlights how boards of directors across these provinces are responding. The final section emphasizes the challenges and areas for further development that were identified through this research project. The briefing concludes with a series of observations and policy suggestions.