The number of not-for-profit hospital rating downgrades has escalated in 2023, suggesting that benefit of the doubt is running out. Hospitals will need to go the extra mile when preparing material for their rating agency meetings.

In this webinar hosted by Russell Investments, Thomas Jefferson University’s SVP and Chief Investment Officer Alfred Salvato describes the benefits of implementing a strategic resource allocation framework across the organization’s balance sheet assets.

Hospitals’ financial performance worsened in July as volumes fell, but margins remain improved from 2022. The median Kaufman Hall Calendar Year-To-Date Operating Margin Index reflecting actual margins was 1.3% in July.

After years of monetary tingle, a more restrictive stance from the Federal Reserve is creating a chill. A sustained higher interest rate environment may require finance teams to rethink external capital formation strategies.

Hospital leadership faces an undeniably hard challenge: regaining financial stability, finding a relevant post-Covid competitive vision, and energizing teams with a renewed sense of purpose. But fighting back is the hospital job of the moment.

Financial reserves are essential to the sustainability of any college or university. Integrating reserve goals to strategic planning through development of a strategic financial plan helps ensure that sufficient reserves will be available to meet the institution’s needs.

The rating committee is central to the rating process: all rating decisions are made by the committee, not an individual. In her new blog, Lisa Goldstein identifies five things to know about what happens in a rating committee.

Fitch Ratings recently downgraded the United States’ long-term rating. Healthcare confronts a different manifestation of the same pressures confronting the U.S., and the lesson for leaders is that governance and planning systems matter.

Medicare Advantage has been a tremendous growth story in recent years. Today, however, new risks are emerging from both providers and regulators that could stall and perhaps even reverse the growth strides health plans have made in the MA market.

The DOJ and FTC recently released proposed updated merger guidelines that, if finalized in similar form, will increase the degree of difficulty associated with mergers and acquisitions. Learn more about the legal and strategic implications for healthcare organizations.

During times of financial challenge, hospitals tend to aggressively cut back on both planning and the execution of overall strategy. But is this the right road for hospitals to take at this time?

Physician and provider productivity is on the rise as patients increasingly seek care in ambulatory settings. However, increased revenue and productivity in Q2 was not enough to offset rising expenses as the median investment/subsidy per provider still rose 5% year-over-year to $224,243.