Health system growth requires a distribution of services across sites that aligns with community needs and patient utilization. But closing or consolidating services to create a better service footprint is never easy; it requires buy-in from a full team of system and site executives.

Too often, decisions stall in early stages or endless debate. Leaders get bogged down in risks without fully appreciating opportunities. Executive teams encounter persistent resistance from stakeholders as they attempt to push decisions forward. Often, leaders opt for half-measures that fail to solve the core consequences of irrational service distribution—suboptimal quality and financial unsustainability.

Service line rationalization requires a carefully orchestrated decision pathway to avoid these challenges. In this resource, we provide our take on how to reach the right conclusion on service rationalization as a leadership team.