Hospital Trustee Resources



Navigating the Challenges of COVID-19
Board Brief by GovernWell
Hospital and health system leaders are working diligently to prepare for and respond to COVID-19. What are the critical issues for boards of trustees to consider? What information does the board absolutely need to know? This briefing highlights these important questions and areas for board consideration in a practical seven-point framework.


Governance in the Time of Coronavirus: What governing boards should do to respond to the pandemic:
Webinar recording from governance expert Jamie Orlikoff courtesy of Texas Healthcare Trustees
Governance expert Jamie Orlikoff, President of Orlikoff & Associates, Inc., explains what boards should do to help their leadership teams, hospitals and themselves prepare for the immediate future of the pandemic. Orlikoff also outlines unique issues and actions that boards should think about now to ensure they stay ahead of unprecedented situations and challenges that are just around the corner.   
  
View or download the webinar on Texas Healthcare Trustee’s website: https://www.tht.org/Library/Online-Education/Webinars

Article by Jamie Orlikoff: Tips for Board Effectiveness During the Pandemic

Podcast with governance expert Jamie Orlikoff through AHA
As part of the American Hospital Association's ongoing support of hospitals and health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic, AHA Trustee Services presents a podcast with governance expert Jamie Orlikoff.

This podcast is an AHA members-only resource. You must be logged on to access. If you need help logging on, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301 or at ahahelp@aha.org.




Hospital Trustees Role in Overseeing Quality and Patient Safety

Hospital trustees play a vital role in ensuring that their hospitals provide high-quality healthcare. Trustees set the priorities for their institutions.  A hospital board that emphasizes meeting quality benchmarks sets the tone for its hospital.  Various organizations have resources that help trustees support high-quality care.  Here is a listing:

  • Eliminating Harm, Improving Patient Care: A Trustee Guide:  This guide, from the American Hospital Association, illustrates the important role that trustees play in the journey to improve patient care.  It serves as a tool for all trustees to use as they work toward the goals of improving quality within their organizations and improving the health of their patients and communities they serve.  Four new video modules and a discussion guide have been developed, as well as a self-assessment tool for boards.
  • Leading a Culture of Safety: A Blueprint for Success:  This document, from the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement/National Patient Safety Foundation Lucian Leape Institute, discusses the six domains of a culture of safety, including Domain #3: Select, Develop, and Engage Your Board.  It outlines tactics to engage patients and families on boards, reviews both foundational and sustaining strategies for success, and provides an assessment tool for evaluating current progress.
  • Framework for Effective Board Governance of Health System Quality:  This white paper from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) provides a framework, assessment tool and a support guide to assist organizations in their efforts to develop advanced abilities to govern quality in a manner that will deliver better care to patients and communities.  The accompanying research guide reviews the evidence regarding attributes of board commitment and engagement, in addition to the current landscape of trustee education.