Cash flow forecasting is an essential part of the financial planning process for any business. It’s crucial for rural hospitals, which often have to rely on more flexible funding sources than their urban counterparts.

This post will walk you through the steps of creating a weekly cash flow forecasting process for your hospital so that you can predict future revenues and expenses with greater accuracy.

Gathering Data

Before you can start forecasting cash flow, you need to gather some data. The first step is deciding what information you’ll need and how best to collect it.

The following are common sources of data:

• Patient records (for example, number of patients admitted or discharged)
• Financial statements (for example, revenue and expenses)
• GL Details and Reports (for example AP aging, AR aging)

Creating Projections

To create your cash flow projections, there are a few different methods that can be used. The first is a simple spreadsheet or table that shows the months of the year and their corresponding income and expenses. You can also use software programs like Excel or Google Sheets to create more advanced models with more complex calculations.  Newbrier can help you create a cash forecasting model for your hospital.

Your accounting software may be another method.  Some systems will create a simplified forecast based on AP and AR data. 

Analyzing Results

Once you have your results, it’s time to analyze them.

The first step is to look at the data and see if there are any apparent trends or patterns that stand out. If one month has significantly higher revenue than other months, this could be an indication that you need to change something about your business model (e.g., increase prices) or marketing strategy (e.g., add more advertising).

Next, compare this year’s projections with previous years’ actual results: how closely did they match up? This will give you some idea of how accurate your forecasts were overall–and whether they’re getting better over time as a result of improving forecasting methods or simply because this year was particularly good for sales in general.

Implementing the Process

Once you have your cash flow forecasting process in place, it’s time to put it into action. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Create a Timeline: The first step in implementing your weekly cash flow forecasting process is to create a timeline that outlines all of the steps involved in completing it. This will help you see where there are gaps in your workflow, which can be addressed by training staff or hiring additional employees.
   
   
2. Assign Roles and Responsibilities: Once you’ve created your timeline, assign someone from each department involved with creating forecasts (e.g., finance, operations) as well as whoever will be reviewing them (e.g., management team) specific roles and responsibilities within their respective departments’ processes along with any other tasks related to implementing this new system (e.g., setting up monitoring systems).
   
   
3. Set Up Monitoring Systems: Now that everyone has been given their tasks for completing weekly forecasts and reporting back on their progress regularly throughout implementation, set up any necessary monitoring systems needed so that everyone knows when they need to report back on their progress–and how often!
   
   
4. Train Staff: Ensure that all staff involved in the forecasting process understand their roles and responsibilities and have the necessary skills to carry out their tasks effectively. Offer training sessions or tutorials as needed.
   
   
5. Review and Adjust: Regularly review the process to ensure that it’s working as intended. If you’re having trouble staying on track, consider adding additional steps or removing unnecessary ones. Avoid common pitfalls by keeping in mind that cash flow forecasting isn’t an exact science and won’t always be 100% accurate.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your weekly cash flow forecasting process is implemented smoothly and effectively, allowing you to make more informed decisions about your hospital’s finances.

Staying on Track

Once you’ve established your weekly cash flow forecasting process, it’s important to stay on track to ensure that it’s working as intended. Here are a few tips to help you do that:

1. Review the Process Weekly: Set aside time each week to review your cash flow forecasting process and ensure that it’s working as intended. This will also give you an opportunity to identify any issues or areas for improvement.
   
   
2. Adjust as Needed: If you’re having trouble staying on track, consider adding additional steps or removing unnecessary ones. Be open to feedback from staff and other stakeholders, and be willing to make changes as needed to improve the process.
   
   
3. It’s important to remember that cash flow forecasting is an estimation, not an exact science. While it’s important to strive for accuracy in your projections, it’s essential to understand that your forecasts won’t always be 100% correct. Instead of getting too caught up in accuracy, it’s more helpful to focus on identifying trends and patterns that can help you make informed decisions about your hospital’s finances.
   
   One way to improve the accuracy of your forecasts is to benchmark yourself regularly and analyze why you missed the mark. By doing so, you can learn from your mistakes and make future forecasts stronger. This will help you develop a more reliable forecasting process over time and better manage your hospital’s finances.
   
   
4. Keep Your Goals in Mind: Remember why you established a weekly cash flow forecasting process in the first place–to better manage your hospital’s finances and make more informed decisions. Keep this goal in mind as you work to stay on track with your process.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your weekly cash flow forecasting process remains effective and helps you achieve your financial goals for your rural hospital.

Conclusion

Creating a weekly cash flow forecasting process can help rural hospitals better manage their finances and make more informed decisions. By gathering data, creating projections, analyzing results, and implementing the process, hospitals can develop a reliable system for forecasting their cash flow.

It’s important to remember that cash flow forecasting isn’t an exact science and won’t always be 100% accurate. However, by staying on track, adjusting as needed, and keeping your goals in mind, you can ensure that your weekly cash flow forecasting process remains effective and helps you achieve your financial goals for your rural hospital.

Implementing a weekly cash flow forecasting process takes time and effort, but the benefits are well worth it. By having a solid understanding of your hospital’s financial situation, you can make more informed decisions and ensure the long-term sustainability of your organization.