Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts

10/13/2026

A well-deserved recognition for a great CEO at a rural public hospital district. 👏 Congratulations, Jason!

Exciting News for Kittitas Valley Healthcare
We are pleased to share that KVH CEO Jason Adler has been recognized on Becker’s Hospital Review’s national list of “Rising Stars: Healthcare Leaders Under 40” for 2026.
This national recognition reflects the hard work across our entire KVH team to keep quality care close to home, including stabilizing 24/7 care at the Family Birthing Place, welcoming 26 new providers, expanding specialty services, and strengthening hospital district finances.
As Jason shared: "The recognition belongs to the dedicated and committed staff at KVH... It’s an honor to do this work for our community and to help keep high-quality care local for our neighbors."
Please join us in congratulating Jason!
Read the full announcement: https://www.kvhealthcare.org/2026/10/kvh-ceo-jason-adler-named-to-beckers-hospital-review-rising-stars-healthcare-leaders-under-40-list/

09/18/2026

New Governance Education Short Video: Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and Committee Structure presented by Harry Boesche, Legal Consultant, Municipal Research and Services Center

As boards embark on strategic planning for their public hospital districts, this is a good topic to revisit.

It is clear from the rules of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) that board members and board meetings are subject to its requirements. But what about committees that inform the board? In this short video, you will learn about the types of committee structures and which type of structures require following the OPMA regulations.

Beyond regulations, another consideration in committee structure is ensuring that the committee's work aligns with the strategic goals of the public hospital district.

To watch the recording and review the slides, please visit: https://www.awphd.org/governance-education/

09/11/2026

The recording and slides to our latest governance education session, 2026 Procurement for Public Hospital Districts is available.

This webinar reviews the procedures for procurement, updates to legislation including the increases to the small works roster limits and provides resources from Municipal Research and Services Center.

One of the biggest takeaways was to update policies to reflect the legislative changes.

To view the recording, please visit: https://www.awphd.org/governance-education/

09/04/2026

Today, I got to represent AWPHD while celebrating an exciting new partnership between Lopez Island Hospital District and Sea Mar Community Health Centers.

The community took action to vote for a public hospital district so that the local residents of Lopez Island could have a voice in shaping health care on their island. Public hospital districts are play a vital role in rural communities across Washington. They empower local residents and leaders to build health care systems that reflect the values and priorities of the communities they serve.

There is no one-size fits all approach to rural health care and public hospital districts provide the flexibility to create solutions that make the most sense locally.

Having worked closely with the leadership of the Lopez Island Hospital District, I can say with confidence that they have been unwavering in their commitment to finding a partner that prioritizes quality patient outcomes and the long-term health of this community. Their dedication, persistence and thoughtful leadership have brought us to this exciting moment.

Congratulations to the Lopez Island community for investing in local health care!

08/27/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended this year's AWPHD and WSHA Rural Hospital Leadership Conference. The recordings are now available in the Governance Education Portal: https://governanceeducation-wsha.talentlms.com/

For hospital board members working to earn their Health Care Governance Certification, watching these videos counts as credit hours toward the certification. To find the recordings, log in to the Governance Education portal, go to the Course Catalog, and search for the session title. After you’ve watched the recording in the portal, click "complete and continue.” Your point will be automatically logged to your account.

If you attended a session in person, you can still log your credit. Search for "2026 RHLC" to find the course name and take the "survey" to confirm your in-person attendance. The sessions listed above all count towards the Health Care Governance certification.

To see upcoming sessions, please visit: https://www.awphd.org/governance-education/

08/19/2026

Up Next in Governance Education: Join us on Wednesday, September 9, from 12:00 - 1:00 PM, “2026 Procurement for Public Hospital Districts (PHDs)” presented by Josh Klika, NIGP-CPP, CPPB, LSSGB, Procurement & Contracting Consultant, Municipal Research and Services Center.

Learn about updates to the procurement process for public hospital districts. You will also receive resources from MRSC related to purchasing, bidding, and contracting.

Registration for 2026 Procurement for PHDs, is available through the Governance Education Portal. To register and see upcoming sessions, please click here: https://www.awphd.org/governance-education/

08/11/2026

It was such a pleasure to visit the Harbor Regional Health campus and join in celebrating the retirement of an exceptional CEO, Tom Jensen. His charismatic leadership, thoughtful guidance, and diplomatic approach have left a lasting impact on so many. We at AWPHD wish Tom all the best as he begins this exciting next chapter. Congratulations on a remarkable career!

08/06/2026

Check out this new Governance Education Short Video on Developing Leadership Skills for Board Chairs. This is a great video for current or aspiring board chairs.

In this short video, you will learn how to:
– Understand the importance of taking a strategic approach to board talent
– Describe board chair relationships
-Identify key leadership skills/competencies for board chairs, with a focus on collaboration

To view this short video and other governance education shorts specific to public hospital districts, click here: https://www.awphd.org/governance-education/

07/24/2026

The AWPHD team was honored to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the expansion of Summit Pacific Medical Center.

It was inspiring to hear Summit’s leadership reflect on the journey that made this milestone possible. CEO, Josh Martin’s mantra, "the obstacle is the way," captured the perseverance, vision, and collaboration that transformed challenges into opportunities and ultimately led to this remarkable expansion.

Congratulations to the entire Summit Pacific Medical Center team on this incredible achievement. We look forward to seeing the lasting impact this expanded facility will have on the health and well-being of the communities you serve.

07/16/2026

Up Next in Governance Education: Join us on August 4 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM for “The Board's Role in Credentialing and Privileging,” presented by the WSHA team of Taya Briley and Darcy Jaffe.

The hospital board’s role in credentialing and privileging is central to ensuring safe, high‑quality care. This webinar is an essential primer for boards that want to confidently govern one of the most difficult governance functions to perform effectively, and one of the most important board responsibilities for hospital quality and safety.

Registration for The Board's Role in Credentialing & Privileging is available through the Governance Education Portal. To register and see upcoming sessions, please click here: https://www.awphd.org/governance-education/