How to build resilience into an investment process for health systems with long-term portfolios
Six questions to help you develop a set of sound investment beliefs
Healthcare entities are typically governed by members of a volunteer investment committee who are charged with fiduciary oversight of multiple, complex portfolios of varying horizons that are closely tied to the organization’s mission. Yet it is difficult to maintain the discipline of managing a long-term portfolio as markets ebb and flow, investment fashions change, and investment committees turn over. The paradox of a long-term time horizon, while investment environments and organizations evolve, suggests the need for a critical tool in the governance toolbox in order to keep a clear focus and ensure successful outcomes.
Crafted wisely, a set of agreed-upon investment beliefs can serve as a tool to enable investment decisions that help healthcare entities ensure capital is available to cover debt requirements, float operations, and/or fund capital spending needs now and in the future.
In this paper, we focus on six key questions that will lead you to develop a set of coherent and consistent investment beliefs:
-
What does investment success mean to you?
-
What is your investment horizon?
-
How do you define risk, and how much are you willing to take?
-
What are your asset class and investment implementation preferences?
-
To what degree should responsible investments be considered within your portfolio?
-
What governance structure and processes should be in place?