A New England HMO owned partly by a multi-hospital academic medical center and partly by its affiliated PHO had reached a strategic crossroads. Leadership believed the time had come to take the HMO to a new level. However, the organization could not afford the required capital, so it began exploring alternatives, including a sale or partnering with a larger health plan.
SSB participated in the evaluation of the strategic options, and spearheaded the strategic partnering process. Along the way, SSB helped the physician owners (a PHO) understand the strategic options and the financial implications, and helped to forge a consensus among physicians concerning the appropriate strategic direction. Through the process, the organization selected one of the health plans in the region that met the criteria that SSB helped define and that demonstrated a cultural fit.