DES MOINES – A group of 51 Iowa hospital trustees have become the latest graduates of the Iowa Hospital Association’s Trustee Education Certification Program. The trustees were recognized on April 10 at the IHA Governance Forum held at the Hilton Garden Inn in West Des Moines.
“Every hospital needs engaged, informed and vital board members to function as an integral part of the hospital leadership team,” said Steve Baumert, CEO of Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs and a member of the IHA Board, who presented the certificates. “To help make that happen, IHA launched its Trustee Education Certification Program in 2010. As of today, more than 100 trustees have completed the program.”
Lucas County Health Center was one of three hospitals to have the entire board complete the Trustee Education Certification Program.
Through this certification program, IHA has provided a framework to support Iowa hospitals in developing highly-effective board members. Goals of the program include:
- Helping hospitals use governance best practices.
- Promoting the coordination of care and the best use of resources.
- Demonstrating to community stakeholders that Iowa hospitals are dedicated to accountability and transparency and are governed at the highest level of excellence.
The Iowa Hospital Association is a voluntary membership organization representing hospital and health system interests to business, government and consumer audiences. All of Iowa’s 118 community hospitals are IHA members.