Service on a hospital board is a very serious commitment and imposes great responsibility. No matter how astute a person may be in his or her own field of expertise, when he or she is asked to serve on a hospital board, the game changes. Health care and hospitalsrun like no other business so no matter how much an individual knows there is much more to learn.

SCHA and member hospitals have recognized the challenge of board service and now offer a solution to help bridge the gap between the known and unknown. Through the newly established Best on Board program, hospital trustees and senior hospital leaders can educate themselves on the responsibilities of board service and health services delivery. Participation in Best on Board helps build the confidence and competence of board members in making sound decisions for the betterment and longevity of the organizations and communities they represent.

Best on Board (BOB) is a voluntary, evidence based board certification program for hospital trustees and senior hospital leaders. The program has been designed around the governance core competencies as identified and published in the AHA Blue Ribbon Panel report. It offers three levels of learning and courses are available both on site and online to make it accessible for all types of learners.

Level I    Essentials of Health care Governance
Level II   Quality and Patient Safety, Finance and Leadership Development
Level III  Board Leadership

BOB, first introduced at TAP and the primary leadership training through SCHA and the Every Patient Counts quality initiative, stands out from other models in several key ways:

• It’s for the full leadership team.  To successfully impact the culture of an organization, we need all players on board, engaged, and focused on improving the care delivered.
• It’s evidence based, with a testing component to provide proof of the strength and competence of your board.
• It’s designed to provide flexibility in accessing the courses.  We liken it to prepaid tuition for your children – assess your organization’s educational needs for the full year, purchase the amount of seats you need, and then use the seats as you see fit when you need them.  BOB participants can attend any on site program or can access the online program at anytime, completing the course at their own pace.

Upcoming classes:

Level I:
July 16 at SCHA
Sept. 16 at TAP meeting in Hilton Head

• All About BOB brochure (pdf)
• BOB Enrollment and Pricing (pdf)
• Faculty bios and Level I course outline
  
• January, 2010 Magazine Article
  

Contact Lara Hewitt at (803) 744-3518 for more information.