The future of hospital economic health.

OBJECTIVE

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

DATA SOURCE AND SELECTION

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.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

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.