成本控制和成本管理战略外文翻译.docVIP

外文翻译 原文 Cost-Containment and Cost-Management Strategies Material Source: Author: Alan f. Goldberg ,William P. Fleming The leadership and boards of trustees of all healthcare organizations are the ultimate stewards of the limited resources available to best meet community needs. The strategic planning process leads the organization down a clear path of setting priorities, making choices, and taking action. The day a new cancer center opens or the latest technology arrives is an exciting one for the community. After the ribbon cutting, these new programs become the responsibility of the hospitals service line directors or clinical managers. Their staffing is based on projections and other assumptions that may or may not be on point but have a direct impact on the operations and finances of the organization. As part of normal decision making for a hospitals new initiatives, a payer mix and revenue stream were predicted. Now two significant environmental events have made projections more uncertain and put aggressive cost management on center stage: the economic downturn and payment reform. The economic downturn affecting hospitals began in the fall of 2008. Its broad impact on the organization was described by Goldberg and Petasnick (2010): With credit markets drying up, unemployment rising, consumer confidence eroding, and employee morale shaken, healthcare system executives had their hands full. The combined result of the turmoil made the old adage cash is king truer than ever. As consumers pulled back and individuals lost health insurance, hospitals experienced losses in volume for elective, nonemergent healthcare. Financial operating results suffered. Meanwhile, losses in investment values eliminated the safety net reserves created by nonoperating income. Many hospitals and healthcare systems were forced to consider or enact layoffs and postpone or cancel capital-intensive projects. All were required to rethink their strategic plans. Because of t