The fifth and latest edition of The Financial Management of Hospitals, by Berman and Weeks, continues in the tradition of its predecessors as a classic text of health financial management. Yet, its usefulness today is not and should not be limited to students or practitioners of administration. Rather, Berman and Weeks provide a well-written and far-reaching introduction to the world of health care finance for trustees, physicians, consumers, and politicians— in short, all of those involved in decision making in the health field today.
The usefulness of this text is increased by its well-organized, selfcontained chapters and fluid prose style. The scope, which exceeds that of most introductory finance books, makes it appropriate as a first exposure for the novice or a refresher course for the more experienced. However, readers wishing a more in-depth treatment of some subjects, such as inventory management, will find the bibliographies following the chapters very