A second look at leasing.

Leasing is a legitimate and convenient source of capital when a hospital needs new equipment. It has grown in popularity because it gives the manager flexibility and seems to reduce the risk of obsolescence. The authors evaluate the benefits and the risks of leasing, and give several concrete examples of the costs of leasing versus borrowing. They suggest that some of the "advantages" of leasing may be more costly than the hospital can afford.     

Critical care beds. Providing needed support for ICU patients

Beds for critical care patients are available with a variety of features and functions that aid patient therapy and help caregivers. The three main characteristics on which we rated the beds are the ability to be used with a variety of suppliers' support surfaces, their positioning capabilities, and features that make them easy to use. Find out which beds were rated highest.     

A look at the hospital administrator

The key individual in health care management in the new multidimensional health care system will be the hospital administrator, the person responsible for the overall management and direction of a single health care institution in a community. This person will have to deal with a vertically integrated institution and changing delivery and financing mechanisms.