The Trustee Quarterly newsletter is now available, with the focusing on the basics of good governance. Review is important for new and experienced trustees. A strong and robust new trustee orientation has always been the foundation for successes when onboarding new board members. However, COVID-19 has impacted the ways board meet and operate, but fortunately many boards are recognizing the importance of reviewing governance basics.
The Summer 2022 Quarterly newsletter provides tips on creating and ensuring an up-to-date board manual exists. A comprehensive board manual should include, but not be limited to:
- Information about the hospital or health system, including the mission, vision and values, organizational history, and services provided.
- Information about the community served.
- An overview of the health care environment, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, shifts in reimbursement, health care transformation and other trends, such as workforce needs and changes in competition.
- Pertinent organizational documents, including the organization’s strategic plan, community needs assessment, and annual report.
- Current financial and quality information.
- Governing documents, including board bylaws, policies and procedures, and the conflict-of-interest disclosure statement.
- A glossary of common health care terms and acronyms.
- A list of board members and executive staff with contact information, and board committee and meeting schedules.
Focusing on the boardroom basics is important to review for all involved. Those include:
- Understanding the Mission, Vision, Values
- The Boards Fiduciary Responsibility
- Quality and Patient Safety
- The Board /CEO Partnership
- Strategic Planning
- Community Needs and Partnerships
- Medical Staff Collaboration
- Financial Performance
Our Perspective: SDAHO is Offering Lessons for Leadership, On-line, In-Person Big or Small
SDAHO understands the importance of Trustees and the service they provide to those they
serve. Board Members are part of most healthcare communities, they play a vital role in a balanced governance and SDAHO has taken an active role in providing education and resources for our members who serve on all sizes of boards.
For those directly serving SDAHO, ensuring they have the tools and resources at their fingertips is key. Whether new to the board or veterans to a board position – helping those who serve SDAHO navigate the expectations is a click away. Through Governwell, SDAHO provides member only resources that include on-line learning and tools on everything from Board Briefs, interactive educational programs, templates, videos and more.
SDAHO has enhanced its educational opportunities in 2021 and moving into the future. Sessions can be attended live as they happen and are also archived where members can access the videos when it’s convenient for them. Like many, on-line learning has been a convenient learning option, but SDAHO recognizes it can’t replace face to face learning. SDAHO returned to in-persons conferences in 2021, with our most recent live event, our annual Rural Health Leaders Conference held in Ft. Pierre. Attendees from across the state gathered to focus on key healthcare issues, specifically nursing workforce needs. As healthcare continues to navigate through the post-pandemic, ensuring today and tomorrows leadership know where to turn to ask the critical questions is important. Better Governance allows for a better healthcare system. SDAHO continues to remain committed to providing the most up to date tools, resources, and educational opportunities for those we serve.
SDAHO August Webinar Professional Development:
• August 16 | Leading a Change-Ready, Inclusive Environment
• August 18 | Mastering Difficult Conversations with Compassionate Confidence
• August 23 | The Role of Guardianship & Conservatorship in Improving Patient Outcomes
• August 25 | Understanding Hospital Board and Medical Staff Responsibilities under Medicare Conditions of Participation
• August 30 | Developing and Sustaining a Successful Community Health Worker Workforce in South Dakota
Register for SDAHO’s 96th Annual Convention, September 21-23 in Sioux Falls at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. To learn more visit www.sdaho.org/convention.
For more trustee resources, visit the SDAHO Trustee Resource Center.
