Achieving success for freestanding ambulatory care centers: investment decision-making

This is the first installment in a series of three articles for Ambulatory Outreach on the topic of ambulatory center development. This article provides a framework for making decisions for investing in freestanding centers. The second article, to be published in the 1998 winter issue, will define the tasks and approaches required to effectively plan freestanding centers' strategies, operations and facilities. The last article, to be published in spring of 1999, will provide practical advice regarding start-up and operation of ambulatory care centers. Real-life examples of health care organizations facing these challenges will be highlighted throughout the series.