We recently co-hosted a webinar with Behavioral Health Business during which we discussed exit planning and opportunities for owners and executives in the behavioral health space who may be thinking of or starting to plan an exit strategy from their business (i.e., sell their business). The webinar aimed to provide strategic insights into the behavioral health industry's acquisition landscape, covering diverse topics such as private equity models, positive aspects of behavioral health businesses, and building successful partnerships. The program featured Aly Champsi, managing director at DW Healthcare Partners, and Jenna Whigham, president of Abound Health. Jack Turgeon, senior consultant with VERTESS, served as moderator for the webinar.

Selling your healthcare business is a significant milestone that can bring substantial financial rewards, but it's also a complex endeavor filled with challenges. Maximizing your results in a business sale often requires the expertise of a mergers and acquisitions (M+A) advisor.

In this column, I will explore how owners of healthcare businesses can leverage the full potential of M+A advisors to best ensure a successful and profitable sale of their companies. We'll cover essential things to know, steps to take, and strategies to follow to make the most of this important partnership.

In this column, I'm going to speak to a question I am essentially asked weekly by owners of healthcare companies: "How can I best time the market when I sell my company?" Some owners may not come out and ask this directly, but when they pose questions like, "What's going on in the market?" and "Can you tell me about the market?", the reason usually concerns the thought of selling their company at a time when the "market" will help them secure the best price.

Mergers and acquisitions (M+A) are complex transactions that involve multiple parties, intricate negotiations, and significant financial investments. While the excitement surrounding potential synergies and growth/exit opportunities often takes center stage, there is a lesser-known, yet equally important factor that can significantly impact the success of an M&A deal: deal fatigue.

Deal fatigue refers to the exhaustion, frustration, and reduced enthusiasm that can set in over time among key stakeholders involved in an M+A transaction, both from the seller’s side and the buyers’ side. It is a phenomenon that can gradually erode the effectiveness of the deal-making process. If not managed properly, deal fatigue can ultimately jeopardize the entire transaction, which we at VERTESS have witnessed firsthand.

If you're thinking about selling your healthcare business, one of the questions you're probably most interested in getting answered is: "What is the value of my company?" That is one of the most common and early questions we at VERTESS get asked by clients.

Our initial answer? It depends. That will always be our first answer, as frustrating as it is for clients to hear. The truth is there's no way to confidently answer this question before we gather the information necessary to provide an accurate figure.

If you are contemplating selling your healthcare business, you're probably thinking of finding a strategic partner. A strategic buyer not only speaks the same language as you do but clearly understands the financial mechanisms of your company. One might believe a strategic partner would bring the highest valuation for a business — but that’s not always the case, and these types of buyers are not always looking to buy.

A question we frequently get asked these days from potential sellers of healthcare businesses is, "Considering the current market and economy, will my valuation take a hit?" The reality is that this is a yes and no answer. The overall healthcare M+A market has been a bit slower as of late compared to the feverish activity of around 24 months ago, and while valuations may have plateaued or dipped in one healthcare vertical, they may be stronger in another. 

The process of selling your healthcare business or attracting investors is often referred to as “selling your baby,” reflecting the very personal nature of this important business transaction. While each transaction is unique, we have identified 20 attributes that determine the probability of successfully completing a transaction.

Once you've decided to sell your healthcare company, one of the biggest decisions you may need to make is which type of buyer you will choose. If your company attracts a variety of buyers, you're likely to have a choice between private equity (i.e., financial buyer), search fund, and/or strategic buyer. All generally have the same goals in mind, but approach deals in different ways. 

Double-digit multiples are often the buzz around healthcare conference room floors. "I just heard someone got a 15x for their business!" a business owner will exclaim — a multiple far exceeding the industry norm of 4-8x. Is such an astonishing multiple merely an urban legend or is it possible for a middle-market healthcare business owner to achieve double-digit multiples?

Over the past several years, we've seen a rapid rise in the number of new healthcare revenue cycle management (RCM) companies, existing companies launching RCM divisions, and transactions involving RCM companies. All three developments are tied to the greater demand for RCM services.

Today I want to talk to you about quality of earnings (QofE or QoE). I want to focus on this single concept because it's become one of the reasons — if not the leading reason — why healthcare transactions go sideways.