Effect of composition of board of directors on performance of mission hospitals in Kitui County, Kenya

Abstract

Mission hospitals play a critical role in the provision of health services in Kitui County. The environment within which mission hospitals operate is ever changing and is aggravated by Kenya’s devolved governance structure. This study therefore sought to establish the effect of composition of board of directors on performance of mission hospitals in Kitui County. Stewardship Theory formed the foundation of the study. A descriptive1 research design1 was undertaken. The target population was the 21 mission hospitals in Kitui County with a cumulative total of 267 respondents comprising of board directors, chief executive officers, administrators and senior managers of these facilities who attend board meetings. A census was adopted since the respondents are few. To obtain primary data, the researcher made use of self-administered questionnaires. The drop and pick technique was chosen to administer questionnaires. For this research, data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 27.0). Based on study findings, the composition of the board of directors had a significant influence, as indicated by a p-value of 0.004, which was below the level of significance of 0.05. Key components of this impact include board size, independence, and the diversity of skills and gender representation. The study concluded that diversity encompasses not only gender representation but also a diversity of skills, backgrounds, and experiences among board members. Based on the findings, the study recommends mission hospitals in Kitui County to: review and optimize the composition of the board of directors by ensuring a balance of expertise, independence, and diverse perspectives.