Search

Profiles Daniel Polett, a trustee of a hospital managed by the Temple University Health System in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Contributions of Polett to the university hospital and the health system; Characteristics of Polett; Factor that drives his desire to help the health system and the community.

The article reports on the operating losses and legal setback suffered by West Penn Allegheny Health System by the end of 2011. A bid to keep private the terms of its affiliation with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania insurer Highmark was lost by West Penn Allegheny Health System on December 1, 2011. On December 30, 2011, the financial statements of the health system was released which revealed a 51.8 million U.S. dollar operating loss for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011.

The article examines the cost-accounting system implemented by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). Topics discussed include UPMC's activity-based approach of assigning a dollar value for every step of the care process and the identification of 50 clinical activities from which UPMC determines cost of care for a patient. The cost-accounting system was designed by UPMC finance director Pietro Ferrara based on data from clinical, operational, and financial systems.