ABSTRACT
Introduction Before any discussion of hospital reimbursement can be given, a broad overview of the “scal concepts that drive the accounting “eld needs to be addressed. e accounting profession has been in existence for hundreds of years, and there are numerous services an accountant can perform. ese services range from those that are limited in scope to ones that are highly analytical. e rules and guidelines that accountants follow are formulated by regulatory bodies that have a responsibility to the public interest. Healthcare accountants are responsible not only for formulating the annual budget but also for creating “nancial statements. In addition, accountants who work within hospital systems are responsible for providing “nancial advice and direction when clinical initiatives are researched and developed.
