Governance Resources

The Iowa Hospital Association offers three events annually 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:

• 2025 Iowa Hospital Association Governance Forum – March 11, IHA Conference Center.
• Updated Conditions of Participations and Regulatory Changes for Hospitals, virtual session, May 05
• Governing Body and Medical Staff Conditions of Participation, virtual session, May 13
• Common Hospital Deficiencies, virtual session, Nov. 19
• 2025 IHA Annual Meeting – Tuesday, Oct. 7, and Wednesday, Oct. 8.

• American Hospital Association Member Trend Report (free to American Hospital Association members/fee for nonmembers).
• American Hospital Association Trustee Services.
• Boardroom 101 (free to American Hospital Association members/fee for 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 (1-20 users, free to American Hospital Association members/fee for nonmembers).

“Critical Questions Every Hospital Needs to be Able to Answer” is a comprehensive publication that may be shared electronically or printed as a 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 for sparking discussion, building understanding and creating 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 the hospitals’ 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 quality and patient safety?
• What’s is the board’s role in disaster planning?

Download a PDF of the document.