Dear Readers, Happy Holidays!

Though not as strong as last month, November performance was generally good compared to prior year, with strong reimbursement balancing out declines in volume.

With the new year approaching, we embark this month on a multi-series Spotlight focused on ‘Goldilocks’ budgeting - that is maximizing the benefit of strong budgeting practices - and exploring the budgeting characteristics by regions and hospital size. Following the growing number of providers, investors, and rating agencies, the press is now increasingly paying attention: Modern Health Article,  HIT Consultant Article, Fierce Healthcare Article.  With growing interest, our readers requested a 2018 year-in-review, which we will include in early 2019. Thanks for your continued interest and support, and we wish you a Happy New Year! Jim Blake