One of the biggest CON’s will be awarded this December for Hillsborough County, Florida (Tampa area). The hospice that receives this CON will be guaranteed the ability to service at least 500 to 600 patients and strengthen their financial performance!

Winning this CON will have meant the hospice awarded this gem strategically identified applying for CONs as a growth strategy. Further, whoever wins this CON was willing to do the “heavy lifting” required to meet all the specifications and requirements needed to meet all the application criteria.

Obviously not all organizations have the “band-with” and resources to pursue a CON strategy as it can take between $200,000 and $300,000 when it is all said and done in legal fees, people needed to gather letters of support, etc.
As I work with hospice across the country more organizations are looking at CON growth strategies as method to serve more patients and grow. A niche strategy to say the least. The rewards however can be great.

Following are a current list of states that require a CON to open a hospice:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Montana
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Vermont
• Washington
• West Virginia
• District of Columbia

I once worked in Florida and ran VITSA’s Orlando operation. Florida is a CON state and my first experience working in such an environment. Working with only three hospices as oppose to 30 or 40 was a very welcomed change. That first-hand experience taught me how valuable a CON growth strategy could be.

What are your thoughts on a CON growth strategy? Does your organization have any strategies to pursue program development in a CON state?

The Best