Finnegan Health Services lays groundwork for expansion

CONWAY, Ark. – Finnegan Health Services will use its recent acquisition of Children’s Medical Services (CMS) in Missouri to set the stage for expanding geographically, says CEO Todd Ross. 

Building a platform 

CMS – FHS’s first foray into the states – is emblematic of FHS’s planned expansion strategy of growing into contiguous states. 

“We’ll shore up this platform and then try to find other smaller, regional providers to bolt on to this foundation we have,” he said. “Our overall strategy is not necessarily to be a nationwide company, but, via acquisition of organically, we want to expand out from the contiguous states of Arkansas throughout the Southeast.” 

A shared mission 

In CMS, the 42-year-old FHS, which offers incontinence, urinary, ostomy, wound care and diabetes supplies, as well as enteral nutrition, to Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance patients statewide, also found a partner with great synergy, Ross said. CMS services a population that is about 90% pediatric and 10% adult patients, while FHS is about 60% adult to 40% pediatric. 

“Their niche is they focus on special needs children and we have a heart for that,” he said. “We thought it would be a great ministry, so to speak, to add on to our business because we already take care of children in the Arkansas market.” 

Merging with intention 

FHS will integrate CMS’s team of patient specialists, care coordinators and support staff into its own teams; for the time being, CMS will retain its name – and brand recognition, says Ross. 

“It's in the name – Children’s – so our current strategy is to keep the branding the same,” he said. “Down the road it (may) make sense to (create one name) over the whole platform, but (for now), we plan to leave it to capture and maintain the excellent position they have in that Missouri market with those children.” 

Automating for the future 

FHS has already converted CMS to Brightree from its outdated billing system and is leaning into a “large AI strategy” across the company, says Ross. 

“We’re not getting into machine learning and AI to replace people,” he said. “We want to grow and serve a lot more patients with our existing team and automation allows you to do that without having to add people along with that.”