Abstract
This study was attempted to identify the liquidity trends and determinants of private hospitals in Korea different. Data used in this study were collected from 98 hospitals with complete general data of present conditions as well as financial statements(balance sheets, income statements). They were chosen from hospitals that passed the standardization audit undertaken by the Korean Hospital Association from 1996 to 2000 for the purpose of accrediting training hospitals. The dependent variables in this study were used current ration and quick ratio as a proxy indicator for liquidity. The independent variables were ownership type, hospital type, location, bed size, period of establishment, short-term liabilities to total assets, long-term liabilities to total assets, borrowings to total assets, fixed asset ration, net profit to total assets, operating margin to gross revenue, growth rate of net worth to total assets, total asset turnover, and business risk(volatility of profit). The major findings of this study were as follows. Trends of liquidity(current ratio, quick ratio) had been continuously decreased. Especially, There were very distinct decreasing trends of personal hospitals and less than 300beds, which weakened liquidity. The factors had significant effect on current ratio were short-term debt to total assets(-), fixed asset ratio(-), business risk(+). High short-term debt to total assets, high fixed asset ratio and high business risk significantly decreased in liquidity. The factors that significantly affected on quick ratio were short-term debt to total assets(-), borrowings to total assets(+), fixed asset ratio(-), business risk(+).
