ABSTRACT
Flexible budgeting is a relatively simple way to introduce department heads to the complex world of cost management. Managers use a flexible budget system to set financial targets for their department and track progress towards those goals. This system gives instant feedback on a department's performance in terms of staffing hours and dollars. Full cooperation is key to a flexible budgeting system's success. Department managers must be involved in every step of the process--from educating and training staff members to determining cost variables.
Subject(s)
Budgets/methods , Financial Management, Hospital/methods , Financial Management/methods , Hospital Departments/economics , Costs and Cost Analysis , District of Columbia , Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over , Personnel Staffing and Scheduling/economics , Software , United StatesABSTRACT
For the past few years, The Washington Hospital Center has had a prepaid obstetric clinic program for uninsured patients. Although the program was satisfactory, some deficiencies had developed. For example, research had shown a high correlation between a mother's lack of prenatal care and high healthcare expenditures. By implementing a new program that included financial incentives for various prenatal care programs, the hospital was able to financially break even with the old program, have a more predictable financial performance evaluation, and have healthier mothers and babies.
