Financial Management Discussion Questions

What are the three main takeaways you have gained from this course? How do you plan to use the skills from this course to your academic and professional advancement?

Respond to two other students initial discussion by the close of Sunday of the Week: 

• Expand on this Discussion by highlighting differences between your posting and your colleagues’ postings. Provide additional insights or alternative perspectives.
• The initial post must require a minimum of four (4) current quality references, two (2) of them from peer-reviewed articles from the Boxer online library. Including references in your replies to classmates is optional but recommended.
• Your initial answer must be 250-300 words, not counting the list of references.

I am attaching the syllabus to give you an idea of what the class is about. This discussion can be very general. It is an accounting and finance class.

• Explain the importance of financial information in healthcare organizations and the financial functions within an organization.
• Analyze factors that influence the financial viability of a healthcare organization and the financial environment of the largest segments of the healthcare industry.
• Review the General Principles of Accounting and its impact and relevance to healthcare finance.
• Know the basic functions and demonstrate the use of electronic spreadsheets (Excel).
• For each week the initial discussion is due by the close of Wednesday each week and 2 initial responses to two other student posts by close of Sunday each week.  Your responses to me are also required by the close of each week and do not count toward your two required responses to other students. All weekly assignments and Navigate quizzes are due by the close of the week which is on Sunday by 11:59 pm CT.  Assignments other than quizzes are to be submitted to the appropriate dropbox by the close of Sunday of the week.Please note week 10 ends on Friday so all discussion posts must be submitted by the close of Friday 11:59 CT.Textbook Reading: Chapter 1 – Introduction to Healthcare Financial ManagementChapter 1 PowerPoint  Click here to access link Video: View YouTube video – The Beginner's Guide to Excel – Excel Basics 2017 Tutorial (~22 min)Video: View YouTube video – Intermediate Excel Skills, Tips, and Tricks – 2017 Tutorial (~20 min)Discussion: Week 1 Discussion Board click hereAssignment Week 1:  NonePlease view Content for week 1.28/23-29
• Assess the current context of healthcare delivery and effectively plan for the future, healthcare administrators.
• Analyze the methods of payment for healthcare firms and the general factors that influence pricing.
• Evaluate the consequences of failing to manage the finances of a healthcare organization without regard for the complex and ever-changing array of laws and regulations that are unique to this industry.
• Participate in weekly discussion DQ 2 per outline in Week 1.  Textbook Reading: Chapter 2: Health Insurance (Understanding Healthcare Financial Management.Textbook Reading:  Episode 1- Navigate for Health Care Finance.Chapter 2 Powerpoint – Click here to access linkActivity: Side-by-side – The ACA vs. the GOP billsActivity: Where Both the ACA and AHCA Fall ShortActivity: Accounting Concepts & Principles with ExamplesDiscussion: Week 2 Discussion Board click hereAssignment:  Week 2 Assignment- Read Episode 1: Critical Case for Billing & Coding.  Once completed take Navigate Quiz # 1.  Click here to link to Quiz. Due Sunday by 11:59 pm CT.38/30-9/5
• Describe medical coding and its relationships to fee-for-service reimbursement.
• Discuss the reimbursement methods used by Medicare.
• Explain the rationale, design, and incentives of value-based purchasing systems.
• Assess the implications of health reform for payments to providers of healthcare services.
• Participate in weekly discussion DQ 3 per outline in Week 1.  Textbook Reading: Chapter 3: Payments to ProvidersChapter 3 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkDiscussion:  Week 3 Discussion Board click hereAssignment: Week 3 Case Study Assignment – Click here to link to the assignment.  Due to the dropbox Sunday by 11:59 pm CT.Week 3 Case Study Assignment Rubric – Click here to link to the rubric.View Week 3 Content Page49/6-129/6 Labor Day University Holiday
• Explain why time value analysis is important to healthcare financial management.
• Apply the present and future values for lump sums, annuities, and uneven cash flow streams.
• Understand and apply measure the return on investment.
• Participate in weekly discussion DQ 4 per outline in Week 1.Textbook Reading: Chapter 4: Time Value AnalysisTextbook Reading:  Navigate for Health Care Finance.  Read Episode 2.Chapter 4 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkDiscussion: Week 4 Discussion Board click hereAssignment: Week 4 Assignment – Read Episode 2:  Rates negotiation Crisis.  Once completed take Navigate Quiz # 2.  Click here for link to quiz.  Due Sunday by 11:59 pm CT.View Week 4 Content Page59/13-19
• Explain the concept of financial risk in general terms.
• Define and differentiate between stand-alone risk and portfolio risk.
• Explain the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) relationship between market risk and required return.
• Participate in weekly discussion DQ 5 per outline in Week 1.  Textbook Reading: Chapter 5: Financial Risk and Required ReturnChapter 5 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkDiscussion: Week 5 Discussion Board click hereView Week 5 Content Page69/20-26
• Reading and interpreting the information provided on the financial statements.
• Explain why cash management is especially crucial in the healthcare industry.
• Determine what working capital is and why it is needed.
• Develop and prepare a cash budget that allows a healthcare organization to be viable and deliver high-quality healthcare services.
• Participate in weekly discussion DQ 6 per outline in Week 1. Textbook Reading: Chapter 15: Revenue Cycle and Current Accounts ManagementChapter 15 PowerPoint – Click here to access link Discussion: Week 6 Discussion Board click hereAssignment Week 6:  NoneView Week 6 Content Page79/27-10/3
• Discuss the various types of debt-including both long term and short term-and their features.
• Explain how not-for-profit businesses obtain equity financing.
• Analyze basic lease transitions from the perspectives of both the lessee and the lessor.
• Participate in weekly discussion DQ 7 per outline in Week 1.  Textbook Reading: Chapter 6: Debt FinancingTextbook Reading: Chapter 7: Equity FinancingTextbook Reading: Chapter 8: Lease FinancingChapter 6 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkChapter 7 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkChapter 8 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkDiscussion: Week 7 Discussion Board click hereAssignment:  Week 7 Assignment- Read Episode 3:  Firm Financial Position or Not?  Once completed take Navigate Quiz # 3.  Click here to link to quiz. Due Sunday by 11:59 pm CT.View Week 7 Content Page810/4-10
• Describe the process for estimating a business's corporate cost of capital.
• Explain the effects of debt financing on a business's risk and return.
• Explain the role of financial analysis in health services capital budgeting decisions.
• Participate in weekly discussion DQ 8 per outline in Week 1. Textbook Reading: Chapter 9 – Cost of CapitalTextbook Reading: Chapter 10 – Capital StructureTextbook Reading: Chapter 11 – Capital BudgetingChapter 9 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkChapter 10 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkChapter 11 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkDiscussion: Week 8 Discussion Board click hereAssignment:  Week 8 Group Project Assignment – Click here to access link.  Due to the Dropbox Due Sunday by 11:59 pm CTAssignment:  Week 8 Rubric for Project Group Assignment – Click here to access link.  Due to the Dropbox Due Sunday by 11:59 pm CT View Week 8 Content Page910/11-179/11 Indigenous Peoples Day UniversityHoliday 
• Explain the core principles of accounting that guide the preparation and dissemination of financial information.
• Determine the format and content of the balance sheet, the statement of operations, the statement of changes in net assets, and the statement of cash flows.
• Analyze the alternative units of measurement in financial reporting and define the major financial reporting alternatives.
  Evaluate the importance and types of performance measures and introduce the hospital cost-index measure.
• Participate in weekly discussions DQ 9 per outline in Week 1.  Textbook Reading: Chapter 13 – Financial Condition AnalysisTextbook Reading: Chapter 14 – Financial ForecastingTextbook Reading:  Navigate for Health Care Finance- Episode 4Chapter 13 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkChapter 14 PowerPoint – Click here to access linkDiscussion:  Week 9 Discussion Board click hereAssignment: Week 9 Assignment – Read Episode 4:  To Move or Note to  Move?  Once completed take Navigate Quiz # 4.  Click here to link to quiz.  Due Sunday by 11:59 pm CT.View the information on the Final Assignment in week 10 (which is due in week 10) so you can begin working on completing the final project.View Week 9 Content PageSurvey: Course Evaluation Survey opens1010/18-22Course ends on Friday 10/22 at 11:59 CT
• Describe the three types of risk relevant to capital budgeting decisions.
• Explain how risk is incorporated into the capital budgeting process