Investment management: 8 steps to improve performance: to help realize your organization's financial goals, it's important to employ an investment evaluation
Author: Healthcare Financial Management

There's no denying times are tough. The average defined-benefit plan went from being 100 percent funded in January 2002 to 77 percent funded in September And of the 360 companies in the S&P 500 that have defined-benefit plans, 90 are underfunded.

Endowment funds are faring no better. Few are able to generate enough revenue to support the programs and projects to which they are dedicated. The typical endowment lost 6 percent last year, with many smaller endowments posting their third straight losing year. Worse still, early indicators for the year suggest the trend will continue for quite some time.

As a healthcare financial manager, you're probably beginning to realize that despite this tough economic climate, you're going to have to contribute to defined-benefit plans. Simply put, it's no longer feasible to wait for better times.

The good news?

By following a back-to-basics approach, you can take steps to help guide your board to the most desired position and improve the likelihood of future investment success.

Step 1: Define Your Goals