Global Outsourcing of Healthcare: A Medical Tourism Decision Model

The demand for global healthcare services is experiencing tremendous growth. US patients are seeking to reduce their expenditures on healthcare through obtaining treatment on an internationally competitive basis. This trend, known as medical tourism, is on the rise, and US legislators and policy makes must be aware of the issues facing American patients. This paper seeks to model factors that influence a patient's decision to seek healthcare services abroad. we develop a two-stage model for medical tourism- the first stage being the evaluation of the foreign country and the second stage choosing the healthcare facility. We argue country-specific characteristics influence the country of choice-including economic condition, political climate, and regulatory policies. We also argue that certain factors- including costs, hospital accreditaion, quality of care, and physician trining- impact the choice of healthcare facility. The model suggests that no one factor is dominant in the decision, but all play a crucial role in choosing healthcare on an international basis. Policy makers must use these factors to evaluate the impact medical tourism will continuw to have on the US healtcare system in order to effectively compete in today's global, consumer-driven healthcare market.Medical tourism; global outsourcing; decision model; health care system; healthcare services; health policy; health costs

Academic Accounting Salaries in the Southwest: A Revisitation and Exploration

This study examines the faculty located in the Southwest Region of the American Accounting Association to ascertain salary determinants as well explore salary compression and inversion. This study finds there are differences among faculty salaries based on longevity, institutional type and size. Typically larger, public institutions pay higher salaries. Further this study finds that salary, perceived salary compared to others, institutional longevity, marital status, institutional type and size are significantly associated with faculty’s gender

The state of Texas vs the Methodist hospital system: An accounting case study: Working paper series--99-02

Pressures to contain costs have given private hospitals the economic incentive to reduce provision of charity care services, shifting the burden onto government hospitals. Budget pressures on governmental units have produced resistance to any further shift in charity care burden. We observe in a lawsuit (State of Texas vs. Methodist Hospital System [MHS]) what appears to be a classic moral hazard situation. The government expects a certain (unspecified) level of charity care to be performed in exchange for tax exemptions; hospital management allegedly consumes perquisites and overstates reported charity care figures. Both sides use accounting numbers to defend their positions. The Case makes five contributions. First, it is relevant and flexible enough for use in several different accounting or business courses, including financial, audit, tax, not-for-profit, or ethics courses. Second, it provides students an introduction to not-for-profit accounting placed in an interesting and relevant context. Third, students must employ forensic skills, much as did the state attorney general. Fourth, the Case requires students to make several audit-related determinations, including knowledge of a client's business, fraud, and related-party transactions. Finally, as students progress through the case, they are required to consider several ethical issues

Building A Health Administration Program: Strategies For Success

Nearly 200 students have now graduated from the University of Baltimore’s (UB’s) six-year-old undergraduate Health Systems Management program (HSMG). With a total student enrollment of 113, the program is one of the larger health administration programs in the United States. The program, an affiliate member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration, is a unique weekend program that allows working professionals with an Associate’s degree to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in 2½ years. The students have, on average, 10–15 years of experience in the heath industry either as nurses or radiology technicians, thus bringing extensive practical experience to the classroom. By any academic measure, the program has been a success. Recruitment is strong and steady, the retention rate and graduation rate (over 80 percent) is high compared to both the university and national averages, and over 90 percent of the graduating students finish in the 2½ years. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issues and strategies involved in implementing the program, as well as some of the unique features of this program. We believe our success can be replicated in other university and program settings. The health care employment market in the greater Baltimore region provided a significant student population base from which we were able to draw for enrollment in our HSMG program. Other regional markets can be addressed in a similar fashion to meet the educational needs of students and enhance the achievement of university enrollment goals

Improvement in Clinical Trial Disclosures and Analysts\u27 Forecast Accuracy: Evidence from the Pharmaceutical Industry

This paper examines whether financial analysts use the information contained in clinical trial disclosures to improve their forecast accuracy for pharmaceutical companies. Findings indicate that the improved clinical trial disclosures due to a quasi-regulation issued by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) significantly reduce analysts\u27 long-term forecast error. In addition, a propensity-score matching analysis provides additional strong evidence that issuance of the 2005 ICMJE\u27s regulation is accompanied by an average 45 % decrease in long-term forecast error, and a more than 50 % decrease in long-term forecast dispersion. This study contributes to the accounting literature regarding nonfinancial disclosures by providing the first insights into financial analysts\u27 use of clinical trial disclosures in their forecasts of future earnings. In addition, because the major event examined in this study is a quasi-regulation issued by the ICMJE, we provide additional insights on the effectiveness of industry-initiated regulations (or quasi-regulations) on nonfinancial disclosure practice

Estimation of Health Care Costs and Cost Recovery: The Case of Rafidya Hospital in Palestine

The purpose of this study is to develop an estimation model for health care costs and cost recovery, and evaluate service sustainability under an uncertain environment. The Palestinian National Authority’s recent focus on improving financial accountability supports the need to research health care costs in the Palestinian territories. We examine data from Rafidya Hospital from 2005–2009 and use step-down allocation to distribute overhead costs. We use an ingredient approach to estimate the costs and revenues of health services, and logarithmic estimation to prospectively estimate the demand for 2011. Our results indicate that while cost recovery is generally insufficient for long-term sustainability, some services can recover their costs in the short run. Our results provide information useful for health care policy makers in setting multiple-goal policies related to health care financing in Palestine, and provide an important initiative in the estimation of health service costs