Who holds the ultimate responsibility and authority for the conduct of a health care institution?

The governing authority holds the ultimate responsibility and authority for the conduct of a health care institution because it is the body or individual that sets the policies and oversight for the organization. This authority typically includes a board of directors or a similar governing body that is accountable for ensuring that the institution operates in compliance with laws and regulations, meets standards of care, and maintains the organization's mission and objectives.

This governing authority is often tasked with hiring and evaluating the administrators and staff, allocating resources, and setting the overall strategic direction of the institution. It is their role to ensure that the institution functions effectively and provides high-quality care to patients, which includes both administrative oversight and strategic planning.

In contrast, medical services and nursing services focus on specific operational aspects like patient care delivery, staff management, and clinical practices but do not have the overarching authority to govern the institution. Nonproprietary institutions refer to types of ownership structures and do not denote who holds the responsibility for governance. Thus, the governing authority is distinctly positioned as the entity that ultimately dictates how the health care institution is run.