Victor Williams
May 4, 2023
Selling a healthcare practice can be one of the most significant financial decisions that medical & dental professionals make in their careers.
Selling a healthcare practice can be one of the most significant financial decisions that medical & dental professionals make in their careers. The process of selling a practice or exiting the industry can be overwhelming for many clinicians, as it involves navigating complex procedures, potential drawbacks and a vast amount of nuances. While many clinicians have a wealth of experience and expertise in their field, they may lack the necessary specific knowledge required to successfully sell their practice or expand their group with the help of an institutional partner. This leads to the urgent need for guidance and support in searching for the right prospective purchaser, maximizing their practice’s value and maintaining airtight confidentiality throughout the process. Here’s where AMIVA Equity Partners, a leading financial institution headquartered in New York, comes in. Focused on helping companies scale and exit through mergers or acquisitions, AMIVA has built a reputation for delivering lasting results for its clients. Acting as a sell-side advisory firm, they serve the lower-middle market with extensive experience in healthcare, primarily in the dental sector.
Practitioners have a lot on their plate, and it’s not uncommon for them to feel overwhelmed and stressed. Balancing their demanding practice with their personal life can be a challenge, and this can lead to burnout. As a result, many doctors consider retiring or focusing on personal endeavors, but navigating the complex process of exiting their practice or maximizing its value can be a daunting task. Without the right guidance, clinicians may not know how to grow or expand their business strategy, and this can further exacerbate the burnout they’re experiencing. Ultimately, the decision to sell a practice may stem from a desire to get out of the liability of running it.
Many clinicians have spent years honing their skills in the medical & dental field, but as they transition toward retirement or a more family-oriented life, they often find themselves ill-equipped to handle the business aspects of their practice. With the complexity of running a dental practice, it can be overwhelming to know where to start, especially when it comes to the intricacies of selling or expanding their practice. And while seminars and workshops can provide a starting point for learning, there’s no substitute for working with experienced professionals who have firsthand knowledge of the industry.
By providing a tailored and methodical approach, AMIVA is revolutionizing the way clinicians sell their practices. Rather than solely facilitating a buyer-seller introduction, the company prioritizes personalized interactions with each doctor to establish a comprehensive comprehension of their desires and objectives.
Aligning the agendas of a potential buyer and the interests of a seller is critical before committing to a major purchase or merger. To assist doctors who are exiting, Mike Pantouvakis – Founder & Managing Principal at AMIVA E.P.- and his team take a proactive approach to matching sellers and buyers. Their thorough and meticulous evaluation is tailored to the goals of the seller, ensuring they receive their optimal outcome through a well-matched buyer.
A significant factor that affects the acquisition process is the availability of potential buyers. Unlike companies that specialize in regional transitions, AMIVA has a wider reach and deeper connections in the industry, enabling them to connect with more potential buyers. Their backend infrastructure is established, and they have a large pool of potential buyers, anywhere from venture capital firms to private equity funds, making it easier to find the right fit for a buyout. This allows AMIVA to streamline the acquisition process while maximizing the exit potential for their clients.
Matthew Hernandez, a crucial member of AMIVA, brings his wealth of dental industry experience to his role as Principal Dental Mergers and Acquisitions Advisor. Being a third-generation denturist, he brings extensive clinical & laboratory acumen along with over 25 years of expertise in managing complex privately owned multi-specialty group practices (DSO/MSO) while being a dental practice coach to general dentists /specialists across the country. Matthew has opened, developed, and exited his own DSO with over 35 dental practices and 5 full-service dental laboratories located in various states across the Pacific and Central U.S. Given his vast clinical & business knowledge as well as real-world experience, Matthew is considered an indispensable asset to the company when it comes to advising clients, considering his familiarity of the industry at hand.
Matthew mentions, “Medical & dental professionals looking to exit their practices will find that the firm truly understands their struggles and concerns. “A lot of folks these days are selling to a big DSO, which is great, but it’s almost like buying a house without a realtor. If you don’t have one, you’re probably going to be taken for a very unpleasant ride as you don’t know what you don’t know. There are a lot of companies out there that do practice transitions, and one of the big key points that differentiates AMIVA is that buyers/sellers both go through a comprehensive onboarding process, followed by a vetting stage designed to find out what each parties interests are and what they wish to accomplish. We strategically pinpoint potential buyers that are in the best interest of the seller before the two ever meet versus the doctor devoting valuable chair time or time with his/her family trying to do it themselves.” says Matthew.
The company follows a rigorous process to ensure that sellers can confidently entrust their practice to a capable and trustworthy buyer. Mike and his team carefully screen potential buyers to ensure they align with the seller’s interests and have the requisite licenses, financial resources and means to operate the practice successfully. Confidentiality is a top priority, and AMIVA takes extensive measures to protect sellers’ privacy throughout the transaction. With over $23.4 million in enterprise value across healthcare companies, AMIVA helps medical & dental professionals get the most out of their practices, while ensuring a seamless and efficient transaction with a true “white-glove” approach.
In the end, selling a healthcare practice can be a daunting process for doctors due to the complex procedures involved in exiting their practice or maximizing their value as they move on from the industry. Potential pitfalls include unvetted purchasers, unethical practices, and varying licensing requirements across states and regions. With a thorough and personalized approach, AMIVA carefully screens potential buyers and aligns their goals with those of the seller to ensure a seamless and efficient exit. By working with experienced professionals like Mike and his team, clinicians can confidently entrust their practice to a capable and trustworthy buyer, ultimately allowing them to focus on any personal endeavors they’d like to pursue.