FINANCE DEPARTMENT

Cluster General Manager (Finance): Mr. Ian YOUNG Telephone No.: 2255 3332

Prior to establishment of the Finance Department in the Hospital at the end of 1992, the shroff office was the only financial operation in the Hospital. The other financial functions were handled by the Hospital Authority Hong Kong Regional Office.

To meet the challenges of financial management , budgetary control and resource planning, baseline positions for each Department with a total of almost 3,800 staff (including the other institutions managed by QMH) were established during the past year.

Monthly management reporting was introduced in August 1993 to provide management information to each Department. Financial management workshops were conducted in November 1993 for Departmental Operations Managers and Ward Managers. Their increased knowledge and responsibilities in supporting their Departments in financial management will enhance budgetary control and resource management. The setting up of the accrual basis for personnel emolument costs and rolling forecast system has facilitated budgetary control on a proactive basis. The Department has also started to work on an asset management database.

Besides the internal customers, Finance Department has made enhancement for the satisfaction of our external customers, the patients. A new private patient billing procedure was established through the shortening of the billing cycle and clerical handling time as well as the improvement of the Patient Billing Revenue Collection System (PBRC). This has ensured patients requiring frequent readmissions will not make duplicate deposit payment and has facilitated credit control.

In the coming year, the Department aims to achieve further enhancement by waiving the need for production of original receipt to obtain deposit refund thereby shortening the refund cycle, and the acceptance of EPS/credit cards for deposit payment. Future plans under way include the setting up of a computerized inventory control system, the specialty costing system, and the streamlining of the payroll and payment procedure.