SMDH

Board of Directors                                                   Members
Joe Brand - Chairman                                               A.J. Seay
Judy Thompson - Vice Chairman                                Dennis Fiebelman
Ray Bruno - Secretary                                               Ken Sheriff

CONGRATULATIONS to Board of Directors member Dennis Fiebelman, who was celebrated with an Excellence in Governance Award for his 17 years of service to the Salem Memorial District Hospital as a Trustee to community at large and the hospital at the MHA Leadership Forum held in Branson June 17th-19th, 2015.

Herb B. Kuhn, MHA President and CEO at the June 2015 MHA Leadership forum:
The program of speakers was excellent, as always. However, the highlight of the meeting was the Excellence in Governance Awards luncheon. This year's was especially remarkable, as it was the 30th year of the award program.

 

During the luncheon, we honored four hospital trustees with Excellence in Governance Awards and recognized four of the eight trustees with their certificates of completion for the Governance Excellence Certificate program.

 

Throughout 30 years, 160 trustees have been recognized with the Governance Excellence award. In just three years, 100 trustees have earned a Governance Excellence Certificate.

 

Trustees' service is just as important as it was 30 years ago. However, the role of the trustee has become more complicated as the decades have passed. Today's trustee is much more than a steward of the community resource; they shape and guide the state's hospitals - helping define priorities and reflecting the character of the communities they represent.

 

Today's trustees need the right skills in their skill set. Not only are traditional governance and finance skills necessary, successful trustees have a deep understanding of the regulatory environment, the drive for quality and the shift toward value. Health care gets more complex every day and trustees are working hard to master the skills necessary to help their hospitals survive and thrive.
As important as this all is, it isn't expected of a staff member, but a member of the community. That's part of what makes trustees special. They serve to help improve the communities in which they live, and to reflect the local values in decisions about one of the most important community assets.

 

This year, in honor of the 30th anniversary of the program, we assembled a video for the ceremony. It helps explain the importance of trustees' service and honor this year's Excellence in Governance awardees. I hope you will pause briefly and watch it. It's worth the three minutes, and will help you reflect on the essential role of trustees in our hospital community.

 

Thank you to all of the trustees who serve, or have served, Missouri's hospitals. Today's strong health care delivery system is your legacy.