The credit crunch. Tax-exempt bond debt. Difficulty getting bank loans and letters of credit.

David Lips' groundbreaking new publication explores the impact of the credit crisis on the healthcare industry, particularly on nonprofit hospitals. It provides a detailed description of finance alternatives for for-profit and nonprofit healthcare providers including the pros and cons of obtaining bank loans, selling stock to raise capital, issuing tax-exempt bonds, and other financing mechanisms common in the healthcare industry. The legal underpinnings of these options are detailed to provide a frame of reference for evaluating them, along with a list of critical questions an entity needs to consider when pursuing each type of financing. Finally, the author suggests constructive ways for hospitals to move forward so that they may stem their financial uncertainties and overcome economic obstacles.