Identifying the main components of the hospital costs management process

Introduction: One of the most important goals of healthcare organizations is cost management in order to save money, provide quality services and achieve customer satisfaction, however, it poses serious challenges for managers. The current study aimed to identify the main components of cost management in hospitals based on a process-orientation approach. Methods: This qualitative research was conducted using Grounded Theory in Tohid Hospital in Bushehr Province. The population consisted of all knowledgeable authorities and experts in cost and financial management 16 of whom were selected through a purposeful sampling. Data were gathered through a semi-structured interview lasting for 40-50 minutes. Considering the theoretical data saturation, the number of contributors was 16, but in order to ensure the data collection 20 people were interviewed. The data were analyzed using the Corbin and Strauss method, and the credibility was confirmed through plausibility, transformability, reliability and verifiability. Results: According to the findings, 78 initial codes, 20 primary classes and 7 classes of Hospital Cost Management Strategies were extracted, such as identifying cost centers, setting internal rules and regulations, monitoring and controlling, establishing a costing system, work-group formation and operational planning. Conclusion: To manage the hospital costs, it is necessary to identify the components of the costs. The components identified in this research are formed in a coherent and organized model to become a useful tool for hospital cost management.