First principles for financial modeling in medicine

This article provides an overview of some of the core issues in business for physicians and is intended as an introduction. No prior understanding of business processes, finance, or accounting will be assumed or expected. The impetus for this work is the changing nature of medical practice in the United States in the past 20 years. Organizational changes and financial pressures challenge those of us in medicine as never before. For the vast majority of physicians, these realms are outside the scope of our traditional training and expertise. This article will provide an introduction to understanding these issues, starting with misconceptions about the overlap between medicine and finance. We will then introduce core concepts of cash vs. revenue, risk and uncertainty, and basic financial modeling.