Advocacy helps hospitals affect favorable changes in legislation, but it also raises community awareness of a hospital's mission and the role of trustees in assuring the success of that mission. Advocacy also strengthens your community, by giving voice to the people served by your hospital who lack effective representation -- children, the poor, the elderly, and others.

The upcoming issue of Trustee magazine will include a Center Voices article focused on the important role trustees play in political advocacy.

In the article by Don A. Beeler, president and CEO of Christus Santa Rosa Health Care in San Antonio, TX, advocacy is examined as a key part of his board's agenda. According to Beeler, it's one of the most important ways his hospital demonstrates its commitment to the community to ensure access to care, especially for children and the elderly, and to provide high-quality, efficient health care.

Beeler discusses in depth the advocacy roles of the Christus Santa Rosa board -- namely, to ensure resources are available to help the organization carry out its mission and to help deliver the organization's message to elected officials and the public. Beeler discusses the importance of trustee participation in community forums to understand the specific needs of the San Antonio community, and the value they bring to meetings with elected officials by helping them understand the benefits that Christus Santa Rosa provides to the community. In addition, Beeler describes how trustees work with hospital staff to stay up-to-date on key issues so they can be effective ambassadors and advocates.

The article, which will be available in the November issue of Trustee, encourages all trustees to get involved in the advocacy process and provides suggestions for how trustees can become effective advocates. Center members can access the article via the Center Web site beginning
November 1.

Archived Center Voices Articles

• Quality Curriculum
  for Trustees
• Blue Ribbon Panel on Health Care Governance
• Collaborative
  Leadership Tools
• Governance Assessment
• Resource Repository
• Speakers Express
• Center Publications

Center Web site

Fall Symposium on Governing & Leading Healthcare Organizations
September 13-16, 2009
White Sulphur Springs,
West Virginia

More information on events

The Center for Healthcare Governance wants members to be as connected as possible to our governance consultants. Being able to ask questions online and receive responses back quickly will ensure you'll find the answers and resources to help you achieve excellence in health care governance.

Please fill out the Center's Ask the Governance Expert online form with your specific question or request, and you will be contacted within 24 hours with a reply. In addition, please feel free to use this form to submit feedback about the Center's services so that we can better serve you.

Please note that this is a member-only resource. Only submissions by Center members will be answered.

The Center for Healthcare Governance developed Speakers Express to help make the high-caliber speakers and presenters found at its national symposia and regional workshops available to organizations throughout the country. Our speakers are proven professionals who are viewed as the "go-to" leaders in their respective fields of expertise, customizing their presentations to fit the unique needs of each organization.

The Center for Healthcare Governance introduces Joseph S. Bujak, MD, FACP, whose past experiences in clinical research, medical education, primary and specialty medical practice, and administration give him a unique breadth of perspective and help establish credibility with the many constituencies within the provider community. Learn more about Joseph S. Bujak, MD, FACP, below:

Joseph S. Bujak, MD, FACP Speaker Bio Presentation Topics

More Information on the Center's Speakers Express

To view archived editions of the Center's bi-weekly email Center News & Updates, click here.