title: Cash management in health care systems.
abstract: Cash is one of the most precious assets held by health systems. This article presents results of discussions on cash management and investment policies at a dozen major not-for-profit health systems. Health system data indicate that cash holdings have increased dramatically since 1993, mostly due to investment earnings. Discussions with chief financial officers of these health systems reveal that cash holdings are significant, that decisions about cash balances are strategic, and that most systems aim to increase cash balances to levels that permit access to capital markets on more favorable terms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-2029, USA. hrivenso@umich.edu
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Rivenson
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Reiter
mesh_terms: D000067:Accounts Payable and Receivable; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000191:economics*; D005377:Financial Management, Hospital / Q000379:methods*; D006740:Hospital Administrators; D006752:Hospital Planning / Q000191:economics; D006777:Hospitals, Proprietary / Q000191:economics; D006788:Hospitals, Voluntary / Q000191:economics*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007449:Investments; D014481:United States