An Analytic Case Study on the Management of an Upper-level General Hospital(2010-2012)

Purpose. For a more efficient hospital management, this study aims to provide basic data so that the hospital management and staff in charge of hospital administration may systematically classify and collect hospital information, by analyzing the ordinary characters of an upper-level general hospital system and its common-type balance sheet, common-type profit and loss statement and financial ratio. Methods. By using information about an upper-level general hospital in C Province, provided by Alio(www.alio.go.kr), a public organization information provision site, Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service(www.hira.or.kr) and Ministry of Health and Welfare(www.mw.go.kr), this study analyzed 3 year's data from 2010 to 2012 and provided basic data by analyzing the ordinary characters of an upper-level general hospital system, and its common-type balance sheet, common-type profit and loss statement and financial ratio. Results. After analyzing the ordinary characters, common-type balance sheet, common-type proft and loss statement and financial ration of this general hospital, based on the 2010 to 2012 data, this study came to the following conclusions. Firstly, out of all the 1,069 hospital staff, there were 272 doctors working for 24 medical departments, out of whom the majority was 33 physicians. Most of the nurses were third-class ones, and about 2,000 outpatients and 600 inpatients on average were treated per day. Secondly, as a result of analyzing the common-type balance sheet, this study discovered that intangible assets out of fixed assets accounted for 41%, the majority, out of which usable and profitable donation asset buildings were of great importance, and the liquid assets increased more in 2012 than 2011. In the financial structure, the ratio of liquid liabilities was over 50% out of all the liabilities in 2012, and the ratio of purchase payables was high as well. The ratio of fixed liabilities reached up to 40%, out of which the retirement benefit appropriation fund was quite high. The capital was over 80%, but the surplus was in a deficit state. Compared to the capital, the ratio of total liabilities was about 90%, which indicates the financial structure of this general hospital was vulnerable. Thirdly, as a result of analyzing the common-type profit and loss statement, this study found out that the medical profits from inpatients were higher than profits from outpatients. The material cost was related to the medical quality of this general hospital, and it was as high as 30% out of the total costs and was about 45% of the labor cost. This general hospital showed 10% in the ratio of non-medical profits, and it seemed because of government subsidies. The ratios of medical profits and current net income were gradually changing for the better in 2012, compared to 2011. Lastly, as a result of analyzing the financial ratio, it was found that the liquidity ratio kept decreasing, from 110.7% in 2010 and 102.0% in 2011 to 77.2% in 2012. Besides, it was analyzed that the liquidity ratio and the net working capital ratio greatly decreased, while the quick ratio and the liquid ratio kept decreasing. Conclusions. 1. It is necessary to take the risk management into more consideration, and particularly, it is needed to differentiate and manage the levels of risk in detail. 2. By considering the fact that investments into hospital infrastructures were mostly based on liabilities, it is needed to deal with the scale of losses when evaluating risks. 3. By reflecting the character that investments into hospital infrastructures were based on liabilities, it is necessary to consider the ratio of ordinary profits as well as the ratio of operating profits to sales, and it is also important to consider sales productivity factors, such as the sales amount per a sickbed, by comparing them with other hospitals. As for limitations of this study, there may be some problems in terms of data interpretation because of the lack of information about the number of inpatients and the number of outpatients per year, which are needed for the break-even point analysis. Besides, to suggest a direction for the improvement of hospital management through analyses, non-financial factors should be reflected, such as the trend of economy, medical policies, and politic backgrounds. However, this study only focused on the common-type balance sheet, common-type profit and loss statement and financial ratio, so this study is actually limited to generalizing all the factors by analyzing public data only.