Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 400279

Coordinator Stewart Alford Opens in new window

Description The Australian health care system must account for use of resources, and ensure their equitable and efficient use. Increasingly devolution of management function to cost centre level in health care organisations is occurring. Managers must consider the financial implications of clinical decisions, understand and act on accounting information. They are held responsible for the financial outcomes of their activities. This unit develops a basic knowledge of accounting principles, health services funding arrangements, government reforms, financial reporting, preparation of budgets, business cases and economic appraisals. There are 140 hours of placement in the field working with health managers on financial issues.

School Health Sciences

Discipline Public and Health Care Administration

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 4 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 3 subject

Pre-requisite(s) BUSM 3015

Restrictions

Students must be enrolled in 4545 or 4656 Bachelor of Health Science or 6000 Diploma in Health Science/Bachelor of Health Science

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Articulate health funding arrangements between the Commonwealth and the States, cost shifting and the need for reform.
2. Examine the mechanisms used by NSW Health to distribute funds to areas and regions.
3. Explain accounting concepts and terms, how financial events are recorded and reported in health services accounting systems.
4. Critically interpret the various reports produced by the accounting information systems in health services.
5. Critically interpret a health cost centre report and plan ways to come in on budget.
6. Develop a budget and business case for a project.
7. Articulate financial management issues such as capital charging, accounting for capital assets, costing of contracted services, etc., as it relates to health services.

Subject Content

- placement requirements.
- Commonwealth fiscal responsibilities, funding arrangements and health role.
- The accounting cycle: Commonwealth and state budget.
- state health role and episode funding.
- policy Initiatives and opportunities for reform.
- health accounting information systems.
- Basic accounting concepts and terms.
- general purpose and SP&t accounts.
- financial accounting in health.
- health financial Reporting including annual reports.
- management accounting and how financial events are reported in health services.
- key performance indicators and cost centre report interpretation.
- budget and health business case preparation.
- how to Evaluate financial position with performance ratios eg Contract services or purchase, profit, loss and return on investments.
- accounting for capital Assets eg The PFI and capital charging.
- how to conduct An economic appraisal of A new development.

Special Requirements

Legislative pre-requisites

NOTE: Due to Covid Restrictions, the First Aid Requirement is currently not needed.

Prior to enrolling in this subject, students must have submitted a Working with Children Check Student Declaration, which is required to be submitted before placement. Use the link to the Special Requirements webpage below for more information.

Western Program Requirements
Visit the Special Requirements webpage for details about your program.

Special Requirements