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.

Forecasting healthcare M+A trends is risky. If the forecast is correct, the masses will gloat that they all thought the same thing. If it's incorrect, you have a published paper trail proving you were wrong — and how wrong you were.

In January, I published a forecast for behavioral health M+A, and it turned out to be spot on. Before I give myself any more pats on my own back, achieving an accurate forecast was fairly simple for these reasons.

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.

At VERTESS, we've seen our number of home health clients increasing throughout 2023. I thought it would be worthwhile to share what we're witnessing and anticipating for this sector as we move into the final quarter of the year and head toward the new year.

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are a hot commodity. We're seeing an increase in the number of ASCs coming on the market and plenty of interest in high-performing — and sometimes underperforming — centers from the likes of hospitals and management/development companies, and to a lesser extent other ASCs/physicians and private equity (PE) firms. The latter is largely more interested in investing in companies with existing ASC portfolios or medical groups which own and operate one or more ASC. We're also seeing a growing number of PE firms going head-to-head with the large ASC strategic buyers and offering competitive alternatives to these heavyweight managing companies.

As the initial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic began to subside, investing in healthcare went in the opposite direction. We saw and continue to see private equity firms and search funds investing more and more money into healthcare, with no indication that this trend is slowing down.

What's fueling these investments? Where is the money going? How much money is being invested? Let's answer these and other questions about the increase in healthcare investments by looking at eight facts and statistics.

In this article, we delve into the current state of the economy, particularly its impact on the private equity investing and healthcare services M+A sectors through Q2 2023. We are moving through the latter half of the year facing unexpected economic developments, so we will explore how business owners in the healthcare industry can strategically position themselves to make more informed decisions about selling their businesses. By understanding the prevailing economic conditions and taking proactive steps, healthcare business owners can optimize their chances for a successful and lucrative sale in this ever-evolving economic landscape.

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.

In today's ever-changing market, businesses must remain keenly aware of emerging trends and swiftly adapt their strategies. As we enter the midway point of 2023, it is evident that the market is undergoing significant fluctuations driven by macroeconomic forces and evolving financing dynamics. This article aims to illuminate these transformative shifts and provide valuable insights into how healthcare businesses can successfully navigate this dynamic landscape. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of the current market conditions and taking proactive measures to prepare for the future, businesses can position themselves for resilience and growth amidst the uncertainties that lie ahead.