Which of the following best defines indirect costs?

Indirect costs are best defined as those costs that are not directly tied to the production of services or goods. This encompasses expenses that support the overall functioning of an organization but cannot be traced back to a specific department or service line. Examples include utilities, administrative salaries, and general office supplies, which contribute to the organization’s operations without being directly connected to patient care or specific products.

In contrast, costs directly attributed to patient care fall under direct costs, which are expenses that can be directly linked to the delivery of medical services. Furthermore, costs that can be easily calculated and tracked refer to direct costs as well, as they are straightforward to allocate. Lastly, while legal fees can be a part of indirect costs, they do not exclusively define them and generally represent a specific subset of indirect expenses rather than a broad category.