SECTION 1.  Notwithstanding any general or special law or rule or regulation to the contrary, a hospital licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health shall have a by-law or bylaws which:

(a) In addition to any general orientation a hospital shall ensure that each member of the hospital's governing body complete a trustee training program as set forth in (b) below conducted by an approved training provider within six months of the member's appointment.

(b) The trustee training program shall consist of at least seven hours of instruction and address each of the following subjects:

1. The ethical and fiduciary responsibilities of a member of a hospital governing body;

2. The role of the governing body in improving health care quality and the mechanisms available for doing so;

3. Hospital financial management and understanding the financial statements of healthcare institutions and reimbursement and finance payment systems;

4. Hospital organization and governance;

5. Legal and regulatory compliance issues.

(c) Instruction may be offered in-person at a classroom or seminar, on-line, audio/webinar, or simulcast.

(d) A hospital shall maintain a copy of the certificate for each current governing body member issued by the training provider.

(e) A hospital governing board member who has not completed a trustee training program conducted by an approved training provider shall complete the trustee training program within nine months of the effective date of this section.

SECTION 2. Hospital governing body training providers shall be approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health who shall make available a list of providers within 30 days after passage.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect 90 days after passage.