Tip of the week: Build a strong board of directors for your facility

Why bring on such a variety of expertise? Because your facility has a variety of needs. For example, if your SNF plans to build a new unit on its existing campus, it might help to have a board member with architecture or general contracting experience.

“Make the role of the board member clear,” Durso warns. “Don’t pick a person with a background in contracting to be the contractor.” In fact, no board member should do business with a facility without full disclosure to avoid a conflict of interest. “Be a policy-maker, but don’t interfere with actual daily business,” he says.

Representation from a variety of professions works at Penacook Place too, Rich says. “You don’t want people to rubber stamp policies. You want people to know how to challenge practices.”

Keep your board fresh

Many boards of directors have no limitations on how long members can participate. Instead of leaving it open, Rich suggests setting a specific term. “This way there will come a time when the board member has to reevaluate whether he or she wants to continue, and the nominating committee can decide whether it wants to keep this person on, too,” he says.

Some facilities rotate board members after a certain amount of time, Durso says. If your SNF decides to do this, don’t let the good board members walk away from the organization completely. Ask them to take on new responsibilities (e.g., heading the fundraising committee), he adds.

Training sessions and retreats are also good ways to keep board members inventive.

Typically, training helps new board members understand and buy into the mission of the group. Retreats may be held annually and focus on strategic planning to position the organization for success in the future, Durso says.

Also, consider performing evaluations of all of your board members to keep them operating at their full potential, Durso says. These can be self evaluations or they can be done by the board’s chair.

Give and take relationship

Before submitting a résumé, make sure that the potential relationship that you are entering with a board of directors suits both sides’ needs. “Make sure that you are qualified,” Durso says. Use the tips in the sidebar below as a checklist to determine whether you fit the bill. Also make sure that your interests are cared for by the board.

Investigate what kind of insurance the facility has that would cover you in the case of a liability issue, Altman suggests.

“Find out what insurance it has to ensure that you are not exposing your personal assets,” Durso agrees.

Be aware that it’s often difficult to find supplemental coverage for extra personal insurance, so the coverage that the organization has should be adequate on its own.

Financial compensation may also come with a board position. The figures will vary depending on the organization’s make-up and the duties included in the board members’ jobs.

Throw your hat in the ring

If you or a colleague are on the other side of the fence and would like to be considered for a board spot, the following tips will help you to get your foot in the door:

In addition to these helpful hints, consider whether you have any gaps in your education, Altman says.

For example, you may be looking for a senior management position, but have no master’s degree in business administration. In the long term, you’d be better off getting that degree, which will open more doors for you.

But time and money are valuable and limited resources for most, so Altman says short courses are helpful as well. For example, if you’ve had some experience in the field of finance, but are not up to date with new regulations, a course on this topic will be useful.