Welcome to the Ontario Health Association's (OHA) resource page for hospital board members. Recognizing the vital role hospital boards play in setting strategy, ensuring accountability and navigating an increasingly complex health care landscape, this page is a resource boards can rely on. It provides easy access to insight and information that can help board members make informed decisions, fulfil their fiduciary responsibilities, and lead with confidence.
This page will be updated on a regular basis and is a practical starting point for hospital board members and governance professionals looking to support with hospital governance matters. From by-law templates to compliance guides, these resources are designed to help boards govern effectively while staying on top of legislative and regulatory changes.
Core Governance Supports
The Guide to Good Governance is the OHA's flagship resource, providing hospital boards with practical tools and best practices for effective governance. Now in its fourth edition, the Guide reflects updated legislative and regulatory requirements, evolving accountabilities, and includes new templates to support strong governance structures.
Download the Guide (Fourth Edition) and access the forms referenced throughout the Guide. For a quick overview, review What's New in the Guide.
By-Laws Made Simple
The OHA's Prototype Corporate By-Law is designed to help hospitals establish clear, compliant, and effective governance structures aligned with the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA). Updated in January 2024, the By-Law reflects ONCA requirements and other relevant legislative developments (for more information, access the OHA's dedicated ONCA webpage). The resource simplifies drafting, incorporates plain-language principles, and outlines provisions for board composition, membership, voting, meetings, and director accountabilities. Hospitals can adapt the template to suit their governance model while ensuring alignment with statutory obligations.
The Corporate By-law is accessible in PDF and Word format. For more information on the most recent updates to the Corporate By-Laws, please review Updates to the Hospital Prototype Corporate By-Law.
The OHA's Prototype Board-Appointed Professional Staff By-Law establishes the framework for the relationship between hospitals and their board-appointed professional staff, as defined under Regulation 965 under the Public Hospitals Act. It outlines processes for appointments, reappointments, credentialing, privileges and accountabilities for physicians, dentists, midwives, and registered nurses in the extended classes who are not considered traditional employees of the hospital. Similar to the Corporate Prototype, the Professional Staff Bylaw can be adapted to suit individual organizational needs.
A Word version of the Prototype Board-Appointed Professional Staff By-Law can be downloaded.
Compliance and Credentialing Essentials
The OHA's Guide to Hospital Statutory Compliance (Guide) provides a clear and practical overview of legislative and regulatory obligations affecting Ontario hospitals. Operationally designed to support hospital legal counsel and risk management leads, the Guide also helps directors fulfil their risk oversight and fiduciary responsibilities. The Guide is organized by eight themes covering compliance considerations under various legislation, regulation, and Government directive.
The Guide also explains where directors may carry personal liability and provides further commentary respecting the board's role in statutory compliance.
The Ten Tips for Hospital Governance Compliance, developed in partnership with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, provides governance supports with practical reminders to ensure alignment with legal requirements and corporate best practice. The resource highlights key areas such as meeting requirements, record keeping, board recruitment and orientation, and use of unanimous written resolutions. Each tip is designed to support good governance while reducing legal and reputational risk. Boards can use this resource as a quick reference guide to reinforce accountability and sound decision-making.
One of a hospital board's most critical governance responsibilities is overseeing and actioning the appointment and reappointment of professional staff. The OHA's Professional Staff Credentialing Toolkit explains the full credentialing process, from recruitment and application to granting privileges and managing performance. The toolkit also contextually highlights the board's role in safeguarding patient safety, ensuring regulatory compliance, and mitigating legal and reputational risks. Updated in September 2021, the toolkit includes frequently asked questions (FAQs) and case examples to support sound decision-making.
The Record Retention Toolkit helps hospitals understand legislative, regulatory, and recommended retention timelines for key organizational documents. Updated in September 2022, the toolkit reflects current requirements under important legislation such as the Public Hospitals Act (PHA), Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) and Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010 (ONCA). The toolkit also addresses emerging considerations such as electronic records and quality of care documentation.
For hospital boards, the toolkit's insights into retention requirements for meeting minutes, corporate policies, professional staff by-laws, strategic plans and governance materials, ensures directors understand their role in maintaining compliance and supporting transparent and effective record management practices. Finally, in highlighting retention timelines for broader hospital records, the toolkit helps boards oversee risk management, patient safety and organizational accountability.
Learning and Engagement
Hospital Governance Essentials Program
The OHA hosts an annual virtual series designed for new hospital directors. The series aims to familiarize hospital governors who are new to the Ontario hospital sector with the legal, governance and funding frameworks needed to govern effectively and support appropriate governance practices. Sessions are hosted each fall and dates are communicated to members in the summer.
Stay Current
To stay up to date on the latest insight and information pertaining to governance and health care news, we encourage you to create a profile on OHA.com. Indicating your position as a hospital board member and your interest in the areas of governance will ensure you receive the information you need to stay current. Below are a few of the communications designed to keep you in the know:
Board Chair Brief
The Board Chair Brief is an OHA communication designed specifically for hospital board chairs and includes information, guidance, perspective, and matters of central importance to the governors of Ontario's hospitals. The OHA is committed to sharing timely and relevant health system news and insights with board chairs directly. This information is also shared via bulletin with hospital management teams.
Services, Resources, Guidance (SRG) Bulletin
The OHA's weekly Services, Resources, Guidance (SRG) bulletin is intended to share brief updates about the OHA's work and updates from across the system or government relevant to hospitals. If you would like to receive the OHA's SRG bulletin, please select the option to receive this communication when creating/updating your profile on OHA.com.
Health System News
The Health System News is the OHA's online hub for health care news, information and resources serving hospital members and health system partners. Created to showcase hospital best practices, success stories, resources and services to support Ontario's health care system, we invite hospital submissions throughout the year. The editorial calendar and submission guidelines are updated annually and hospitals submissions are always welcome. To subscribe to the Health System News e-newsletter, simply select the option to receive this communication when creating/updating your profile on OHA.com.
Contact Us
For any inquiries related to hospital governance, contact:
Alice Betancourt
Director, Legal, Regulatory, and Governance Issues
abetancourt@oha.com
DISCLAIMER: The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) resources provide a broad overview of relevant topics and
considerations at the time of publication. Resources are not intended to be,
nor should be construed as, legal advice. As always, hospitals and
health service providers are advised to seek and obtain legal and/or
professional advice based on their individual situations, including existing
policies, practices and communities served. The authors will not be held
responsible or liable for any harm, damage, or other losses resulting from
reliance on, or the use or misuse of, the general information contained in this
resource.
