The FASB explores accounting for future cash flows.

The FASB's Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 7, Using Cash Flow Information and Present Value in Accounting Measurements (Statement No. 7), presents the board's views regarding how cash-flow information and present values should be used in accounting for future cash flows when information on fair values is not available.

FASB Statement No. 136 clarifies transfers of assets.

FASB Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 136, Transfers of Assets to a Not-for-Profit Organization or Charitable Trust That Raises or Holds Contributions for Others, provides guidance and establishes accounting standards for the transfer of assets from donors to not-for-profit organizations that may then transfer those same assets to a beneficiary organization. Recipient organizations that accept financial assets from a donor and agree to use those assets on behalf of a specified unaffiliated beneficiary or transfer those assets, the return on investment of those assets, or both to that beneficiary must recognize the assets received from the donor and recognize the assets' fair value as a liability to the beneficiary.

New AICPA standards aid accounting for the costs of internal-use software.

Statement of Position (SOP) No. 98-1, "Accounting for the Costs of Computer Software Developed or Obtained for Internal Use," issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants in March 1998, provides financial managers with guidelines regarding which costs involved in developing or obtaining internal-use software should be expensed and which should be capitalized. The SOP identifies three stages in the development of internal-use software: the preliminary project stage, the application development stage, and the postimplementation-operation stage.

SOP 98-5 brings uniformity to reporting start-up costs.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) issued Statement of Position (SOP) No. 98-5, Reporting on the Costs of Start-Up Activities, in April 1998 to provide organizations with guidance on how to report start-up and organization costs. Because some companies were expensing start-up costs while other companies were capitalizing start-up costs with a variety of periods over which to amortize costs, it was difficult to compare companies' financial statements.

Strategic cost accounting helps create a competitive edge.

The way healthcare cost allocation is conducted has changed radically over the past three decades. Although government regulations have required the step-down allocation method be used for determining Medicare payments, this method is limited in its ability to generate relevant cost data needed for management decision making and effective managed care contract rate negotiation. Deriving such data depends on using appropriate cost drivers and allocation methods.

SFAS No. 124, accounting for investments: the rules have changed.

Under SFAS No. 124 "Accounting for Certain Investments Held by Not-for-Profit Organizations," issued in November 1995, not-for-profit healthcare organizations must report investments in equity securities that have readily determinable market values and all debt securities at fair value. SFAS No.

Implementing SFAS No 121: Accounting for Impaired Assets.

In March 1995, FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 121: "Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed Of." It establishes accounting standards for assets whose carrying costs have been overstated due to a variety of circumstances that have reduced the value of the assets.

Identifying best practices for audit committees.

Most healthcare organizations have an audit committee of the governing board, or a finance committee, that fulfills the audit oversight function. Financial managers play a key role in shaping the content, agency, and operation of the audit committee. The findings of a recent research study conducted by Arthur Anderson & Co.

SFAS No. 117 brings uniformity to financial statement formats.

Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 117 was issued to establish consistency in financial reporting among not-for-profit organizations, which are subject to various American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) audit guides. In addition, SFAS No.

SFAS No. 116 changes accounting procedures for contributions.

SFAS No. 116 will significantly change the accounting procedure for contributions received by healthcare organizations. It requires that contributions be recognized as revenue, at fair value, in the period received.

Capitalizing strategic planning costs to recognize future value.

As healthcare organizations devote more resources to strategic planning, financial managers should consider capitalizing, rather than expensing, planning costs. Traditionally, healthcare organizations have absorbed these costs in the year a plan is developed. However, a strategic plan may be viewed as an intangible asset that provides the organization with future benefits.

Using DRGs and standard costs to control nursing labor costs.

Nursing care is a very significant part of a healthcare organization's costs. However, until recently, methods of controlling nursing costs were largely ineffective. With the implementation of the prospective payment system and the use of diagnosis related groups, budgeting and controlling nursing costs are now possible with the use of standard costing.