The future of hospital economic health.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate factors which may influence the economic future of academic medical centers (AMCs).


METHODS
A literature search was performed to identify publications which reviewed the areas of revenue sources for AMCs, costs and expenses incurred by these institutions, and mechanisms for optimizing institutional economic stability.


METHODS
Data were reviewed and evaluated in two primary contexts: hospital revenues and organizational and administrative factors influencing hospital economic health.


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing economic stress will require AMCs to make efforts both to increase revenue through a variety of mechanisms and to minimize expenses without compromising their mission or impairing worker morale.
Section of Critical Care Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease and Critical Care Medicine, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ, USA.
David R
DR
Gerber
Carolyn E
CE
Bekes
Joseph E
JE
Parrillo
D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends*; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010934:Planning Techniques; D014481:United States