Preserving Your Hospital’s Independence

In HSG’s strategy work with hospitals, a frequent topic of discussion is alignment with a healthcare system. Sometimes, our team needs to evaluate alternative partners while other times we are advising clients on whether they should join a large healthcare system or not.

The push for consolidation is an obvious focus in the industry, with AHA data indicating more than 250 independent hospitals that have joined systems in this decade. There are passionate voices that believe there is no choice but to join a system. When talking with CEO’s and hospital boards, there often exists an equally passionate desire for local control.

In our white paper, Preserving Your Hospital’s Independence, we outline our experiences positioning hospitals to remain independent. With a good focused strategy and great leadership, it is possible. But it is difficult and we always caution client hospitals to give serious consideration to all of the options; be open to consolidation if or when that becomes best for the community.

We hope this document is helpful in thinking about how your organization moves forward. If you have questions or comments, or need help defining your strategic plan to remain independent, please call. In discussions with boards and CEOs, we always learn and gain new insights.