Politicians and journalists often portray healthcare M&A as a kind of bogeyman: big systems getting ever bigger in an effort to knock out competitors and raise prices.

But that narrative ignores the fact that many smaller healthcare providers are struggling for mere survival, forcing boards to grapple with one of the biggest questions in health system strategy: independence or affiliation?

That debate is fraught with emotion, community pride, and political implications, making it hard to discern the best path forward. At Ascendient, 30 years’ experience in health systems consulting has taught us that a transparent and methodical process is the only way to cut through the noise.

As your independent advisor, Ascendient will help you establish objective criteria for evaluating potential healthcare M&A transactions. We’ll carefully examine not just the needs of your organization, but the overall strategic direction of each potential healthcare M&A partner. Our thorough analysis is designed to determine optimal organizational and strategic fit, and ensure that any potential partner has the capability and willingness to deliver what your organization truly needs.

We’ll even lay out potential structural alternatives to consider before you tie any knot – always balancing your affiliation options against the case for keeping the status quo.

Click below to hear about one client's experience with healthcare M&A.