This fall, join Texas Healthcare Trustees (THT) and the State Office of Rural Health (SORH) as we kick off a complimentary Rural Board Education series designed to strengthen rural hospital boards’ role in quality oversight – a key area that impacts health delivery and outcomes, compliance, and the financial sustainability of the hospital. This education is ideal for hospital board members, CEOs, and governance liaisons. Through webinars and in-person workshops, trustees will gain tools to improve governance, connect with peers and support better patient outcomes.
Registration Pricing
Complimentary for rural hospitals in Texas.
Who Should Attend
Rural hospital board members, leadership teams, and governance staff liaisons.
Upcoming Webinars
Quality and Patient Safety Bootcamp for Rural Hospital Boards
October 9, 2025 | Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Speaker: Sheila Dolbow, MSN, RN, CFN, CPHQ, Quality Improvement Manager, Texas Hospital Association Foundation, Austin
Join us for a discussion on the challenges and opportunities in rural health care. This session will explore health disparities in rural communities, board oversight responsibilities and key metrics for governance. Additionally, attendees will discover and explore programs supporting rural hospitals and take away best practices for proactive quality leadership.
The Role of Quality in Financial Success
November 6, 2025 | Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Speakers: Laura Cornelson, MSN, RN, Vice President, Clinical Initiatives, Texas Hospital Association; and Matt Turner, Ph.D., Senior Director of Health Care Policy, Texas Hospital Association, Austin
This webinar will explore the connection between quality performance and financial sustainability in rural hospitals. Attendees will learn how quality outcomes impact revenue and reimbursement, and which key indicators have the greatest financial implications. The session will also highlight how boards and leaders can leverage quality data to guide strategic financial decisions.
Quality Compliance Bootcamp for Rural Hospital Boards
TBD December 2025 | Noon – 1:30 p.m.
This final webinar will provide board members with essential tools for quality compliance in rural health care. Participants will learn about CMS Conditions of Participation requirements for hospital boards, Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) standards, and review key regulatory and volunteer reporting responsibilities.
Registration coming soon!
Regional Workshops
As part of the education series, THT will host two half-day regional workshops in partnership with the State Office of Rural Health to bring in-person learning closer to participants. These four-hour sessions will allow hospital board members and board liaisons opportunities to network with peers and dive deeper into board roles, dashboards and the role of quality committees.
In-Person Workshops: Quality Oversight for Rural Hospital Boards
March 13th and March 27th, 2026
Speakers: Sheila Dolbow, MSN, RN, CFN, CPHQ, Quality Improvement Manager, Texas Hospital Association Foundation, Austin; Lindsay Thompson, President/CEO, Texas Healthcare Trustees, Austin; and the State Office of Rural Health
Curriculum Topics Will Include:
- The Board’s Role in Quality and Patient Safety
- Interpreting Quality Dashboards
- The Role of the Quality Committee
- SORH Overview and Additional Programs and Resources to Support Rural Hospitals
Publications
For the third part of the program, THT will provide two self-study resources to support trustees’ ongoing education. The updated Quality and Patient Safety Guidebook will be tailored to the unique challenges of rural hospitals, covering the board’s role, legal obligations, governance structures, and strategies to improve quality outcomes. In addition, a new Health Care Terms and Abbreviations Guide will offer clear definitions of commonly used terms and acronyms, helping both new and experienced trustees navigate the complex language of health care. Both publications will be distributed free of charge to every rural hospital in Texas.
This webinar series is presented by Texas Healthcare Trustees and the State Office of Rural Health.
