By: Jack Ahern, MBA
As Originally Published in Renal Business Today Online, July, 2011
Tel: (312) 997-2177Now that the effects of the bundle are (relatively speaking) more clear than they were a year ago, many LDOs and entrepreneurially minded nephrologists and investors feel much more comfortable in terms of either selling their present unit(s) or in purchasing/building new units.
For instance, two new dialysis units have recently opened near my downtown Chicago office which is located very near the Illinois Medical District. One of these units is owned by an LDO, the other is not. Clearly the downtown Chicago market appears to have been well established for many decades, yet not only one, but several new units have "popped up."
At least in the case of these two inner city units, outpatient dialysis services are still viewed as not only profitable, but sufficiently profitable to warrant investing in new buildings and equipment.
Keeping in mind that a new dialysis unit is not only an opportunity for owners, but also for employees, vendors, and patients, this month I would like to provide some food for thought for all of my readers who are in any way influenced by the sales, purchase, or building of new dialysis units.
The DCF method, also assumes that inflation, and other factors that affect the present value of money earned in the future, can be reasonably predicted.
The logic used to by the DCF method is that the present value of a business is in the range of the present value of the entire cash flow generated by the business over a set period of time (with adjustment for business risk and any other significant factors). The primary issue faced when using this method is the accuracy of any estimates of future cash flows, as well as cost of capital (interest rates) and inflation rates.
The logic of the comparable method is that the value of a business is in the range of the value of similar businesses sold recently.
The drawback of the comparable method, especially with a limited supply of dialysis patients, is that much of the value of a unit is dependant on the relationship between the dialysis unit with local nephrologists and nearby hospitals.
While one unit may have a good relationship and an ample supply of patients, another unit may not be able to duplicate this intangible, but very real, asset.
The per patient approach is only as good as the projections used, and as with other methods, is dependant on relationships with nephrologists and nearby hospitals.
Much like playing chess, it pays to be not only one step, but several steps ahead of the market, and to address questions such as: "If we open or purchase dialysis unit A, will our competitors quickly move to open dialysis unit B, nearby? If so, how would we handle this?"
Track and identify any shifts in patient demographics or the competitive landscape which could alter your chances for success and be sure you can still survive, or even better thrive, in those scenarios which are most probable and be willing to adapt quickly to any unexpected curve balls.
Jack Ahern, MBA - As a seasoned Healthcare Executive, Instructor, Author and Financial Manager, Jack Ahern brings to the table expertise gained by managing finances for an academic medical center, and providing guidance to physicians, hospitals, HMO's and major academic medical centers on issues pertaining to physician and hospital billing, hospital administration, strategic planning, renal dialysis reimbursement, HIPAA, ethics, regulatory issues and compliance.
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