Here is a practical guide that provides a unique conceptual framework for pricing hospital services in a competitive environment. Framework for Market-Based Hospital Pricing Decisions helps health care managers improve their marketing strategies by providing detailed information on critical factors that must be considered when making market-based pricing decisions. The rapid progress of developments in health care financial management makes it difficult for teachers, students, and financial executives to keep up with current thinking on important developments in making hospital pricing decisions. Filled with up-to-date coverage of key topics about making hospital pricing decisions, this book is a needed contemporary resource of great depth on these topics: hospital competition cost analysis for pricing decisions demand analysis competitor analysis pricing tacticsBased on the premise that pricing decisions for a market-oriented hospital must be built upon knowledge of a service specific cost function, demand, or consumers willingness to pay, and competitors response capability, Framework for Market-Based Hospital Pricing Decisions offers a succinct overview of research and practice developments in areas of special interest to practitioners. Special sections that facilitate classroom use are included to help teachers design courses with maximum flexibility to expose students to an authoritative analysis of pricing problems in health care organizations.A number of major topics are included that serve as practical guides for making intelligent hospital pricing decisions. Discover the latest trends in hospital competition and especially the increase in hospital competition based on new price incentives. Full cost determination and other relevant methods of cost analysis are outlined in detail. Dr. Heshmat analyzes the demand for hospital services and the intensity of the market competition, and describes the financial implications of these factors. Hospital marketing and finance managers will find basic tips on alternative pricing tactics and decisions that will aid their hospital in providing competitive services and fees.