ST. PAUL — Twenty-five hospital trustees from across Minnesota were recognized for earning certification through the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) trustee certification program. The comprehensive certification process prepares hospital trustees to effectively meet the growing demands of serving on a hospital board and to be strong health care and community leaders.   

By participating in MHA’s voluntary certification program, hospital trustees receive training on current health care trends, governance best practices, ethics, government regulations, patient safety and quality. Participants undergo 35 hours of coursework, making Minnesota’s initiative the most comprehensive in the nation.   

Trustees who have completed MHA board certification are eligible to participate in an additional eight hours of coursework to obtain advanced certification, which provides education to ensure excellence, innovation and accountability in health care governance.   

“In Minnesota, more and more hospital trustees are formally preparing themselves to address the complex issues facing hospitals and health systems today,” said Lawrence Massa, MHA president and CEO. “Our trustee certification program proactively ensures that hospital leaders are equipped to make good decisions. Earning certification demonstrates a trustee’s commitment to the patients and communities the hospital serves.”   

 Newly certified trustees include:

• Bigfork Valley Hospital: George Rounds
• Community Memorial Hospital, Cloquet: David Hall, Lee R. Olsen
• Essentia Health, Duluth: Dean Ager
• Essentia Health-Sandstone: Ronald Osladil
• Essentia Health-St. Joseph's Medical Center, Brainerd: Chuck Albrecht
• Lake Region Healthcare, Fergus Falls: John Erickson
• Lakewood Health System, Staples: Christine S. Albrecht, M.D., FAAFP 
• Mille Lacs Health System, Onamia: Dennis Burr, Wendy Kafka, Betsy Lundquist
• Pipestone County Medical Center: Daniel Wildermuth
• Ridgeview Medical Center, Waconia: Katherine Roehl 
• Tri-County Health Care, Wadena: Ryan L. Anderson, Terry Davis   

Trustees obtaining advanced certification include:

• Alomere Health, Alexandria: Dian Rae Lopez, Owen Miller 
• Community Memorial Hospital, Cloquet: Kevin Toboleski
• Cook Hospital & Care Center: Michael Enzmann, Eric Pederson
• Lake Region Healthcare, Fergus Falls: Debra Ferguson
• Lake View Hospital, Two Harbors: John Strange
• Perham Health: Eugene Jahnke, Terry Marthaler 
• Swift County-Benson Health Services: Joe Fox   

For more information about MHA’s hospital trustee certification program, visit www.mnhospitals.org/trustees.   

The Minnesota Hospital Association represents 142 hospitals and health systems, which provide quality care for their patients and meet the needs of their communities.   

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