Course Objective

In the Netherlands more than 15 percent of the Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) is spent on health care. Based on the long-term trends that are
visible in healthcare, such as the aging population, comorbidity,
individualization, self-direction and the unlimited availability of
information, it is clear that the expenditure on health care will
continue the coming years. The government is looking for measures to
control this. In order to operate efficiently, health care managers
knowledge of the playing field in which health care organizations are
essential to make a good translation for the internal control on the
basis of management information. The course Financial Management for
Healthcare Organizations is part of the minor Health care management and
provides students tools and instruments which are essential for the
financial management of health care organizations such as hospitals,
health insurers and primary care organizations.

At the end of this course students have developed knowledge and
competences in different fields of financial management in the health
care:
- Students have knowledge about budgeting and control systems in health
care organizations (Bridging Theory and Practice – Knowledge) and can
apply this knowledge in a health care context (Bridging Theory and
Practice – Application).
- Students have knowledge of the different costing and pricing systems
(Bridging Theory and Practice – Knowledge) and are able to apply these
systems in a health care context (Bridging Theory and Practice –
Application).
- Students have knowledge about methods to evaluate investment proposals
and can apply this knowledge in a health care context (Bridging Theory
and Practice – Application).
- Students are able to explain the specific characteristics and
additional requirements of financial reporting for health care
organizations, including the requirements of governance codes (Bridging
Theory and Practice – Knowledge) and to apply this knowledge in order to
analyze basic financial statements of health care organizations.

Furthermore, in this course students develop their social professional
skills by working on case solutions in multidisciplinary teams and by
giving presentations prepared in these teams.

Course Content

This course is relevant for SBE students who want to apply financial
accounting, management accounting and management control knowledge in
healthcare organizations. The course will also provide medicine
students, earth & life science students and social sciences students who
are going to work as clinicians or health care managers relevant
financial management tools and instruments to deal with health care
organization topics. More specifically, this course pays particular
attention on the usefulness of management accounting information,
management control systems and financial accounting information to
support considered decisions in order to manage economically healthy
businesses in the healthcare sector.

Teaching Methods

Lectures.
Tutorials (with cases).

Method of Assessment

Group assessments weekly cases (grades for case solutions as well as
case presentation)
Multidisciplinary case assessment (grade for case solution as well as
individual presentation)

Entry Requirements

None.

Literature

Recommended reading: Zelman W.N., M.J. McCue, N.D. Glick and M.S. Thomas
(2014). Financial Management of Health Care Organizations: An
Introduction to Fundamental
Tools, Concepts and Applications, 4th edition, John Wiley & Sons.

Obligatory reading: Syllabus Financial management in health care
organizations (available on Canvas)

Recommended background knowledge

None.