IHA has launched a new Hospital Board Self-Assessment program, replacing the paper-based survey IHA has provided to members over the past several years.  The new system allows for both individual board member self-evaluations as well as an evaluation of the full board.  Hospitals that elect to utilize this tool will be able to use a survey with common questions for benchmarking opportunities as well as add custom questions unique to their hospital.

The survey tool will produce reports that provide hospitals with board data break-outs and comparative averages against other similarly sized hospitals statewide.

“It is a very easy to use program where the hospital designates a program coordinator who does initial survey set-up and any customization.  The survey is then initiated when the hospital is ready,” said Perry Meyer IHA senior vice president of information services.  “The survey program is available 365 days a year and can be administered as often as the hospital would like.  Obviously, the more hospitals that use the program the better for benchmarking.”

Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa has been using a similar online board assessment over the past few years, but is excited about moving toward a system that can benchmark against peers.

Kristin Kaiser, planning and marketing specialist with Mercy-North Iowa said the hospital uses the tool to ensure its board is functioning effectively.

“We use this to show the board what they’re doing well and what they need improvement on,” she said.  “This tool helps stimulate discussion at the board level and clarify performance expectations.”

Kaiser said that the response rate increased when the survey was put online as people are getting more and more reliant on technology and online communications.

The program is now live and hospital boards can begin using the system at any time.