During the healthcare M+A process, the benefit of accurate financials cannot be understated. Financial reporting is the foundation on which your business is valued, and meaningful data presented in an organized fashion can lower a buyer's perceived risk. This likely means more money in your pocket on the closing date.

Yet, it is an all-too-common occurrence to see frustrations arise as a healthcare business owner works through the financial due diligence process. The lists are exhaustive, the requests elaborate, and the stakes high. By taking a few steps, even 3-6 months before you go to market, the due diligence process can be simplified in an impactful way. Sailing through financial requests allows an owner's focus to be rededicated to other, equally important parts of the sale process.

Freestanding emergency departments (FSED) have seen substantial growth over the past two decades. Research published in the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine states that the National Emergency Department Inventory determined in 2001 that about 1% of all emergency departments (ED) in the United States were FSEDs. Fast forward to 2016 and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission reported that FSEDs had accounted for 11% of all EDs nationwide. Grand View Research is projecting that the U.S. FSED market size, which was valued at around $3 billion in 2019, is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 5% from 2020-2027.

Few dentists are aware of the market value of their dental practice. Moreover, most don’t understand how industry experts (e.g., accountants, bankers, dental practice brokers, and buyers) determine the value of dental practices.

In this column, I'll be helping you better understand how the value of a dental practice is determined. Let’s begin with some of the key performance indicators that buyers look for when evaluating dental practices.

The information covered in the following column is derived from two sources. First, VERTESS recently conducted a survey of more than 20 buyers of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers on a variety of topics, including acquisition strategy and market trends. Second, I engaged in extensive discussions with fellow VERTESS team members who collectively are heavily involved in the private capital markets and witness the cycles in the verticals we represent.

My intentions in this column are to articulate broad concepts in current trends and developments within the broader healthcare M+A markets. While I am writing for owners of all healthcare businesses, there is a special emphasis on owners of SUD treatment businesses since the survey conducted was with SUD buyers and SUD is an area in which I specialize. SalientValue also has articles on general recommendations for healthcare business owners and vertical/segment specific articles outside of SUD.

About six months ago, the Cost Plus Drug Company, entrepreneur Mark Cuban's online pharmacy, officially launched. As of late, the pharmacy is receiving significant media attention, including a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine which showed Medicare could have saved nearly $4 billion in 2020 by purchasing generic drugs at the same prices offered by Cost Plus. Cuban took to Twitter to share the results with and tag President Joe Biden and other elected officials.

The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market is changing rapidly. Surviving in the current market is no longer as simple as meeting the needs of the community you serve. Competition among ASCs is now measured through a litmus test of strength based on collateral along with quality standing. These are now the deciding factors that determine winners and losers in the market.

During the healthcare M+A process, the benefit of accurate financials cannot be understated. Financial reporting is the foundation on which your business is valued, and meaningful data presented in an organized fashion can lower a buyer's perceived risk. This likely means more money in your pocket on the closing date.

Yet, it is an all-too-common occurrence to see frustrations arise as a healthcare business owner works through the financial due diligence process. The lists are exhaustive, the requests elaborate, and the stakes high. By taking a few steps, even 3-6 months before you go to market, the due diligence process can be simplified in an impactful way. Sailing through financial requests allows an owner's focus to be rededicated to other, equally important parts of the sale process.

In this SalientValue column, I'm going to touch on a number of points I hope healthcare business owners will find helpful as they consider the current position of their companies and plan for their futures. There are warning signs ahead, and having been through the ups and downs of various business cycles, I'd like to highlight some concerns and share some recommendations.

Numerous books, articles, webinars, and other media provide detailed exit planning strategies for healthcare business owners.  This article aims to provide owners with a concise primer on key actions to take and essential questions to answer that can help better prepare themselves and their healthcare businesses for an eventual exit.

The information covered in the following column is derived from two sources. First, VERTESS recently conducted a survey of more than 20 buyers of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers on a variety of topics, including acquisition strategy and market trends. Second, I engaged in extensive discussions with fellow VERTESS team members who collectively are heavily involved in the private capital markets and witness the cycles in the verticals we represent.

My intentions in this column are to articulate broad concepts in current trends and developments within the broader healthcare M+A markets. While I am writing for owners of all healthcare businesses, there is a special emphasis on owners of SUD treatment businesses since the survey conducted was with SUD buyers and SUD is an area in which I specialize. SalientValue also has articles on general recommendations for healthcare business owners and vertical/segment specific articles outside of SUD.

About six months ago, the Cost Plus Drug Company, entrepreneur Mark Cuban's online pharmacy, officially launched. As of late, the pharmacy is receiving significant media attention, including a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine which showed Medicare could have saved nearly $4 billion in 2020 by purchasing generic drugs at the same prices offered by Cost Plus. Cuban took to Twitter to share the results with and tag President Joe Biden and other elected officials.

In this SalientValue column, I'm going to touch on a number of points I hope healthcare business owners will find helpful as they consider the current position of their companies and plan for their futures. There are warning signs ahead, and having been through the ups and downs of various business cycles, I'd like to highlight some concerns and share some recommendations.