Over 600 hospital trustees in Nebraska share the responsibility for providing governance to their local hospitals. By bringing individual trustees together into one network, they have an investment in their own education and advocacy, which benefits all hospitals in the state. Members of the network include all hospital trustees and CEOs in Nebraska. The network steering committee consists of delegates from each hospital.

Hospital trustees should have a knowledgeable understanding of the trends shaping health care. Many trustees have dealt with mergers and integration, re-engineering, and total quality improvement in their full-time positions in industries, such as banking, manufacturing, commerce and agriculture.

Unfortunately, many assume that new health care trustees automatically know everything there is to know about issues such as managed care, medical mistakes, graduate medical education, integrated delivery systems and Medicare reimbursement. Such expectations are far from realistic. As health care continues to change at ever-increasing speed, even the most seasoned trustees are pressed to keep up-to-date. Yet many trustees, both experienced and new, refrain from asking basic questions. Monitoring health care advancements and understanding health care issues is vital to effectively leading hospitals into the future. The Nebraska Hospital Trustee Network helps trustees with these objectives through active communication and educational programs.

Hospital trustees are potentially powerful advocates for their communities and for hospitals nationwide. Trustee voices need to be heard. Trustees are unpaid, yet highly informed, representatives of their hospitals. As such, they can often be more effective advocates than hospital staff members.

The role of governance in any organization is crucial to its success. The Governing Board, in partnership with management, determines guiding policy, the hospital’s vision, mission and goals. While management is charged with implementation, the Governing Board is responsible for oversight of the organization’s aspirations, purpose and focus.

The hospital management team receives years of formal education and on-the-job training. Board members receive much less. Yet the performance of both the Board and management is intricately entwined and equally important to the successful operation of the organization.

The NHA Trustee Orientation Manual enhances trustee and governing board effectiveness as they successfully guide the efforts of Nebraska hospitals into the future. Both new and experienced trustees will find value in the publication. The manual can be used as an initial educational method and as an ongoing reference.

The manual is intended to complement existing trustee educational materials that have been developed by individual hospitals. In particular, the chapter titled, “My Hospital” provides a framework for hospitals to create or further enhance an existing manual that is facility specific. Proceeds from the sales of the NHA Trustee Manual are returned to the NHA Research and Educational Foundation to aid future trustee education programs.

Trustee Orientation Manual Order Form. 

Arizona ∙ Colorado ∙ Idaho ∙ Montana ∙ Nebraska ∙ Nevada ∙ New Mexico ∙ Utah ∙ Wyoming

For eleven years the Western Regional Trustee Symposium, determined to help educate about the critical issues that are facing health care today, has endeavored to present educational sessions to hospital trustees, administrators, and medical staff.

Sponsored by eight state hospital associations and the American Hospital Association, this outstanding meeting provides tremendous educational sessions. Whether you are a new trustee or a seasoned one, the Western Regional Trustee Symposium will assist you in meeting the many challenges facing the world of health care today.

For more information, visit the Western Regional Trustee Symposium Web Site http://www.trusteesymposium.org/