Minimizing Revenue Leakages in Private Health Facilities: An Assessment of Internal Control Systems and Revenue Assurance Practices"

Revenue leakages continue to pose a significant challenge to the financial sustainability of private health facilities in Ghana. Despite the increasing adoption of digital hospital management systems, many healthcare institutions still experience revenue losses arising from billing inaccuracies, weak monitoring mechanisms, inadequate revenue reconciliation processes, and deficiencies in internal control structures (COSO, 2013; Hamed, 2023). This study assesses the effectiveness of internal control systems and revenue assurance practices in minimizing revenue leakages among private hospitals in Kumasi, Ghana. Specifically, the study examines the effectiveness of segregation of duties, revenue reconciliation procedures, and electronic billing systems in strengthening revenue protection and enhancing financial accountability. The study adopts a quantitative research approach and collects data from finance, audit, accounts, and administrative personnel within selected private hospitals. Data analysis focuses on determining the extent to which internal control mechanisms and revenue assurance practices contribute to reducing revenue leakages (Saunders et al., 2023). Particular attention is given to the role of Hospital Administration and Management Systems (HAMS) and other electronic billing platforms in improving revenue capture, transaction monitoring, and financial reporting (Romney & Steinbart, 2021). The findings are expected to provide evidence on the effectiveness of existing control measures and identify areas requiring improvement. The study contributes to the literature on healthcare financial management by offering practical recommendations for strengthening internal controls, enhancing revenue assurance practices, and promoting financial sustainability within private healthcare institutions in Ghana (Arens et al., 2021).