As we move closer to the holiday season (yes, it is around the corner), we are all busy preparing budgets and conducting strategic planning for 2010.  The economy brings with it new challenges in these endeavors and continued uncertainty.  We all hope that the “experts” are correct when they say the recession is beginning to turn around, but we must have contingency plans in case they are wrong or if the turn comes later rather than sooner. 

While we must be prepared for a continued slow economy, we cannot let the recession slow us down in terms of planning for the future and looking for opportunities.  As the economy improves, we must be ready to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented.  Many believe that economic downturns are a necessary part of the cycle in that they force businesses to take a closer look at their operations, seeking greater efficiencies and ways to enhance productivity.  There is much truth to this, but in the healthcare industry, we must do this while we concurrently find ways to continue to serve patients while maintaining a reasonable bottom line in the face of reduced income, subsidies that do not reflect the true cost of care, and more restrictive reimbursement and regulations.  Not an easy task. 

BESLER has been serving its clients for nearly 25 years, and we pride ourselves on the breadth and depth of our professionals and the quality of our work.  Now more than ever, we recognize the need to provide value to our clients.  We accomplish that not through packaged programs or one-size-fits-all solutions, but through partnering with our clients to truly understand your needs and collaboratively develop solutions.  We welcome the opportunity to listen to our clients as opposed to speaking to them.  We are constantly looking for ways to assist our clients in enhancing performance to ensure that no opportunity is missed, and as we move toward 2010, we will be bringing you new solutions and new opportunities. 

I trust that you will enjoy this issue of the BESLER Beacon and we look forward to the opportunity to listen to you in the months ahead.  Enjoy your holidays and the beautiful fall weather.

If you have any suggestions for future articles, or other comments or questions, I would like to hear from you.  I can be reached at bsherin@beslerconsulting.com.

Very truly yours,
Brian P. Sherin, FHFMA
President & CEO

BESLER Consulting