Sutter Health Financial System
Most Sutter Health affiliates participate in a joint bond-finance group, which allows the affiliates to act as a single entity for credit purposes. The joint bond group lets affiliates pool revenues to secure capital through issuance of tax-exempt bonds. Financial terms of bond issuances are more favorable than terms available to any one hospital acting independently.
The Sutter equity transfer policy pools excess operating cash of affiliates to use for approved strategic objectives, for example, investing in information technology that benefits both local and regional levels, providing faster access to more comprehensive clinical and cost information. The cash concentration policy allows pooling of cash for investment purposes, providing affiliates with better financial returns.
Donor-originated funds, philanthropic gifts that are made to the local affiliates, are expressly excluded from Sutter Health's financial policies such funds are fully controlled and retained by the local affiliate.