Hospital Board Academy Online Curriculum

The following curriculum is designed to introduce hospital board members who are new to their role to the fundamentals of serving on a hospital board. It includes subjects such as governance, board performance and strategic planning as well as material intended to inform them about the business of running a hospital.

The curriculum builds on itself. The easiest way to complete it is to begin with Phase 1 and proceed through the materials. Of course, trustees and directors bring to their roles diverse backgrounds and many are already knowledgeable regarding board service or healthcare. Board members should feel free to focus on the subjects that are of most value to them and forgo materials that cover topics with which they are already familiar. For each phase, additional materials that may be of interest are included in the “For Further Learning” section.

Phase 1

This phase provides a basic introduction to the obligations of nonprofit boards and overviews the relationship between hospital executive leadership and their board members in the context of strategic planning. Some basics on hospital finance are also presented. Please read through the following pages to complete Phase One of the Board Academy:

• Governance 
• Strategic Planning 
• Hospital Operations
• For Further Learning

Phase 2

This phase provides additional information on governance and several resources on CEO evaluation. Please read through the following pages to complete Phase Two of the Board Academy:

• Governance
• CEO Evaluation
• Hospital Operations
• For Further Learning

Phase 3

The focus of this phase is ensuring the best possible performance of the board on which you serve. Materials cover board composition & recruitment as well as board evaluation & improvement. This phase also provides an overview of the role of hospitals in their communities. Please read through the following pages to complete Phase Three:

• Board Composition and Recruitment
• Board Evaluation and Improvement
• Hospitals and the Community
• For Further Learning

Phase 4

This final phase is a collection of materials that cover a wide array of topics affecting hospitals and healthcare. A familiarity with these basic issues will provide a solid foundation for decision making at the board level. Please read through all of the following pages to complete Phase Four:

• Hospital Operations 
• Systemic Healthcare Issues 
• For Further Learning