We currently offer three in-house, standardized, programs. To allow sufficient time for scheduling and advance preparation, each program typically is scheduled at least three months in advance.

Program 1. Financial Management of Physician Practice Plans (3 days)
The target audience for this program is physicians in academic practice plans who wish to better understand the plans finances. Upon completing the program, a participant will know how to (a) read and interpret a set of financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows), and (b) assess the financial impact of such practice plan decisions as increasing patient volume or acquiring a new fixed asset. Among other things, this program helps to answer the question: "why are we doing well financially but running out of cash?"

Program 2. Basics of Cost Accounting and Control (3 days)
The target audience for this program is physicians who have managerial responsibilities in their medical centers (and perhaps in their practice plans as well). Upon completing the program, a participant will know how to (a) interpret and work with a full-cost analysis, (b) assess cost behavior (in terms of fixed, variable, and step-function costs), (c) think about costs in light of a variety of alternative choice decisions (such as contracting out for a service or offering a special price to a managed care plan), and (d) incorporate cost-behavior patterns into both budgeting and measuring performance against a budget.

Program 3. Understanding a Medical Centers Financial Statements (1 day)
The target audience for this program is trustees of a medical center and physicians who have board-related responsibilities. This program is similar to Program 1, but it focuses on the more complex set of financial statements of an academic medical center (as compared to a group practice). Among other things, this program answers the question "how much of a financial surplus is appropriate each year?"

Pedagogy
All of our programs use the case method of instruction, which is an extremely exciting way of learning. However, the case method requires extensive preparation about 8 hours prior to the first day of a program and approximately 6 hours each night of the program. Our programs are not for the faint of heart!

Enrollment Requirements
We require a minimum of 20 participants to run a program, and a maximum of 30. Fewer than 20 and the discussions are not sufficiently robust. More than 30 and participants tend to feel as though there is insufficient air time opportunities during the class discussions.

Cost
Our daily per-participant fee includes all faculty honoraria, all faculty travel and lodging, and all materials. The client designates a person to coordinate the distribution of materials and assist with registration and ongoing coordination. The client also incurs the cost of the facility where the program is held, which typically includes the main lecture room, several break-out rooms for small group meetings, continental breakfasts, coffee breaks, lunches, and perhaps one or two dinners. The client also incurs any participant-related expenses (such as parking) that it chooses to reimburse.

The 2005-06, the per-participant fee is as follows as indicated above, this fee includes all of TCGs fees and other expenses, including travel and lodging):

• Within 100 miles of Boston - US$250 per day
• Outside of Boston but east of the Mississippi - US$325per day
• West of the Mississippi (including Hawaii and Alaska) - US$350 per day
• Canada - Same as in the U.S. (think of an imaginary northward extension of the Mississippi)
• Europe - €350
• Elsewhere Please call to discuss and obtain a quotation

Schedule
We have found that our programs are the most effective when they are scheduled as follows:

Day 1. A half day. Participants arrive a noon for an informal lunch and welcome by the organizations CEO, Medical Director, or other senior manager. The day ends at around 5pm. Approximately 6 hours of study required for the next day. (4 hours for the Trustees Program)

Day 2. A full day (half day for the Trustees Program). Begins at 8am and ends at 4pm with a one-hour lunch break. Approximately 6 hours of study required for the next day.

Day 3. A full day, similar to Day 2.

Day 4. A half day. Begins at 8am and ends at noon, followed by an informal lunch.

For additional information, or to have any questions answered, please contact us.