Hospital board education
The Iowa Hospital Association hosts three annual events that focus on trustee and board education. These are key events to participate in to receive the hours required for the hospital and board trustee certification program:
- Iowa Hospital Association Governance Forum – March, IHA Conference Center
- Updated Conditions of Participation and Regulatory Changes for Hospitals – May, virtual session
- Governing Body and Medical Staff Conditions of Participation – May, virtual session
- Common Hospital Deficiencies – November, virtual session
- IHA Annual Meeting – October, Community Choice Credit Union Conference Center, Des Moines
For more information, visit the IHA Events List.
American Hospital Association governance resources
- American Hospital Association Member Trend Report – available free to American Hospital Association members; a fee applies to nonmembers
- American Hospital Association Trustee Services
- Boardroom 101 – available free to American Hospital Association members; a fee applies to nonmembers
- Health Care Trustees’ Roles in Supporting the Transition to Value – online seminar
- How Boards Can Support Workforce Behavioral Health
- Participation Is Not Optional
- Using Investment Governance to Achieve Financial Excellence – online seminar
- What Boards Should Know About Cybersecurity– eBook for up to 20 users; available free to American Hospital Association members; a fee applies to nonmembers
Trustee resource videos and online seminars
The Iowa Hospital Association has several trustee resource videos included in the Digital on Demand store.
Critical questions for hospital boards
“Critical Questions Every Hospital Needs to be Able to Answer” is a comprehensive publication that boards and hospitals can share electronically or as a printed booklet for new trustees. Iowa Hospital Association member hospitals have used this as a primer for new board members and a refresher for existing board members by using the questions to spark discussion, build understanding and create awareness at board meetings.
Updated in 2021, the 135-page document provides new trustees with answers to the most-important questions they must know, including:
- How can the board be visionary in an era of uncertainty and transformation?
- How does the board build lasting community partnerships?
- How does the board create a culture of safety?
- How does the board ensure strong and effective executive leadership?
- How does the board ensure strong collaboration with the medical staff?
- How does the board hold itself accountable?
- How should the board gauge its hospital’s financial performance?
- What does it mean to be an effective hospital advocate?
- What is the board’s fiduciary responsibility?
- What is the board’s responsibility for ensuring a positive workplace culture?
- What is the board’s responsibility for planning?
- What is the board’s role in disaster planning?
- What is the board’s role in quality and patient safety?
Other governance resources
These resources can help hospital trustees in aspects of governance:
- Advocacy resources
- BoardEffect
- Five health care trends that demand the attention of boards and executives, AHA, June 12, 2025
- Foundations for governing excellence: board roles and responsibilities
- Health care terms and abbreviations
- Iowa Hospital Association hospital board assessment
- Summary of Iowa nonprofit corporation directors’ duties