For-Profit Vs Non Profit Hospital Essay

In 1997 University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) merged its two public hospitals with Stanford’s two private hospitals. The two separate entities merged together to create a not-for-profit organization titled UCSF Stanford Health Care. The merger between the health systems at UCSF and Stanford seemed like a good idea due to the similar missions, proximity of institutions, increased financial pressure with cutbacks in Medicare reimbursements followed by a dramatic increase in managed care organizations. The first year UCSF Stanford Health Care produced a profit of $22 million, however three years later the health system had lost a total of $176 million (“UCSF-Stanford Merger,” n.d.). The first part of this paper will address reasons

Millions of dollars are spent on healthcare every year in USA but the health of the beneficiaries has not increased accordingly. Just providing healthcare is not enough; quality healthcare with long term benefits should be the aim of the healthcare providers. I have studied and worked in certain multi-specialty hospitals and government facilities in my home town. I have seen corruption and frauds happening at various levels and hence wanted to study about how such non profit and

The report provides a good data compilation, but provides little insight into the meaning of the data. Although the report provides little analysis, tax-exempt hospitals have provided significant amounts of financial assistance and other community benefits. [What remains to be seen, however, is whether insurance expansions under the ACA thereby decreasing pool of uninsured patients will cause these numbers to decrease in the future. Tax-exempt hospitals could further struggle to justify tax-exempt status.]

According to Daft the main difference is that for-profit organizations’ bottom line is to earn money, while non-profit will focus on social impact (p.13). Therefore, the key stakeholders’ expectations would be within the increase profit and market position of their organization. In contrast, regarding the non-profit organization the expectations are parallel to diversity of the stakeholders. For instance in the case of the Salvation Army, the volunteers, customers, donors, and government agencies, will have different expectations of the organization, while the leadership would balance those expectations to achieve the non-profit goals.

A for-profit healthcare organization may be formed to conduct business activities pertaining to healthcare. The primary reason in forming a for-profit healthcare organization is to earn a profit for the investors of the company. With regard to for-profit healthcare organizations, the profits of the company are distributed to the owners or investors of the company in the form of dividends after EBITDA is calculated. A for-profit healthcare organization allows a business owner to obtain gains from the organization if the business remains profitable. A not-for-profit healthcare organization is formed for the good of the community. Not-for-profit healthcare organizations are formed for religious, charitable, or philanthropic purposes. The revenue raised by the not-for-profit healthcare organization must be reintegrated into the organization, so it is able to achieve its

The debate over non-profit versus for-profit healthcare organization has been ongoing, does one provide better care than the other? Do the operations of for profit perform better than the non-profit organizations? Are the criticisms about for-profit organization validated and is there proof? The goal is to examine those questions as well as offer options to improve the financial and operational performance of non-profit and for-profit organizations criticisms.

MD Anderson had operating profits of $531 million in FY 2010. This represented a profit margin of 26% on revenues of $2.05 billion. Stamford hospital is midsized nonprofit hospital located in Stamford, CT. It has revenues of nearly half a billion dollars. In fact, its revenues exceeded all money paid to the city of Stamford in taxes and fees. The hospital is a bigger business than its host city. Although the true cost of healthcare is difficult to calculate, many other hospitals throughout the United States are generating record profits and revenues. These profits and revenues are under heavy criticism because non-profit hospitals often outperform their for-profit counterparts. Many believe that unfair medical billing practices and skyrocketing prices contribute to these record profits at the expense of economically strapped patients. Non-profit entities enjoy tax-free status on the profits they generate. These profits are used by hospitals to expand their practices and buy out competitor hospitals, laboratories and other medically related cash generating businesses. Anti-trust laws must be enforced effectively to prevent these non-profit hospital systems from becoming monopolies within a geographic area and preventing healthy competition.

The debate on whether all healthcare institution should be non-profit rises many issues and they have been heavily debated. The best way to examine this to analyze if non-profit hospitals are in fact better that for

Though they are not entirely comprehensive tools, a great deal can be learned about a hospital or other healthcare organization for-profit or not-for-profit from an examination of their annual financial documents (Finkler & Ward, 2006). The balance sheet and statement of revenue and expense can both yield valuable clues even in the absence of other evidence about changes that might be occurring in the organization, a definition of the type and degree of certain problems that it might be facing, and potential opportunities for improvement in performance that might exist (Finkler & Ward, 2006). Comparing two or more years' worth of financial information yields even more valuable insights, tracking movement in the hospital or other organization's ability to finance its activities and thus continue providing services at the same level, quantity, and scope as current operation.

Stakeholders play a critical role in the management and decision-making process of an organization. An example of a stakeholder includes employees, managers, patients, vendors, suppliers, the community, creditors, customers and the government (Daft, 2013). Also, Daft (2013) says, “Stakeholders are groups “within or outside of the organization that has a stake in the organization’s performance” (p. 23). There are a few differences surrounding stakeholder expectations between non-profit and for-profit organizations. The differences in nonprofit organizations and for-profit business organizations are the direction of activities for the end goal (Daft, 2013). Although it is very difficult to measure the impact that a nonprofit has on society, community, or a particular group as opposed to evaluating an income statement from a for-pro-profit organization. The same level of attention should be paid to stakeholder for nonprofit organizations as stakeholders of for-profit organizations.

Next, we studied the financial structures of health care organizations. Specifically, we examined the structure of nonprofit healthcare organizations. I remember spending a good amount of time debating whether or not nonprofits should maintain their tax exempt status. As someone who had spent their entire professional career working for a nonprofit organization, I often viewed myself as the sole champion for these organizations. In sessions and on the discussion boards, I advocated that nonprofit healthcare organizations in most situation function as a safe net of the community and that the level of community benefits these organizations provide do justify the lost revenue for state and federal agencies.

According to the American Hospital Association the cost of equipment, services, and information services has risen drastically. A huge problem for hospitals now is that there has been an enormous increase in patients who have Medicare or Medicaid. The Hospital Association states that “60% of all admissions. Neither program fully reimburses the cost of hospital care.” Not only is the hospital not getting paid the full amount through the health insurance, but they have also seen a jump in people who do not have insurance and cannot pay for their hospital expenses this averages out to about six percent of hospital expenses. Hospitals must assume these costs as a part of their charity pay. These costs are then calculated and increase the costs of health care for people who pay for it, in order to cover these costs.

Financing health services in the United States is very important and involves an excessive amount of health institutions and activities. Health services are supported by several methods to create revenue that most hospital, clinics, and treatment centers use for daily operational costs (World Health Organization, 2006). These methods are: general taxation of the state, county, or township/municipality, Medicare or Medicaid or other socialized health insurance plans, voluntary and private health insurance and lastly, donations to health charities accepted from non-profit organizations, donations

Non-profit organizations do not belong to the commercial sector or the public sector, but occupy an intermediate position. It gives

The major objectives of healthcare financial management include: generating income (which is the most important) because it is the financial status of the organization. It is important to ensure that revenues are exceeding expenses. After assets are invested in, they are meant to be used. They must respond to regulations and be accredited to qualify for loans, reimbursements, etc. Facilitate relationships with third-party payers because they are the ones helping with the bills. The health organizations must also influence method and amount of payment to avoid overpaying, when faced with capitated prices or prospective payments. Monitoring physicians is important because they are at the forefront of everything, so management must make sure that physicians’ orders are consistent with patient needs. Lastly, protecting tax status involves for-profit organizations trying to reduce tax liabilities, while not-for-profit organizations try to protect their tax-exempt