New Research Highlights the Positive Impact of Chain Ownership on Fertility Clinic Performance and Patient Care
New INFORMS Management Science Study Key Takeaways:
- Corporate chain ownership of fertility clinics leads to a 27.2% increase in the number of IVF cycles performed, providing more patients with access to fertility treatments.
- Clinics under chain ownership experience a 13.6% improvement in IVF success rates, enhancing patient outcomes.
- Chain-owned clinics implement standardized practices, reducing risky multiple births and focusing on healthier single births.
BALTIMORE, MD, January 21, 2025 – New research published in the INFORMS journal Management Science reveals that corporate chain ownership of fertility clinics not only increases access to treatment but also enhances patient outcomes. The study shows that chain-owned clinics perform 27.2% more IVF cycles, achieve a 13.6% improvement in success rates, and adopt standardized practices that reduce risky multiple births while prioritizing healthier single births.
The study, “Getting Down to Business: Chain Ownership and Fertility Clinic Performance,” provides a data-driven perspective on how corporate healthcare ownership can benefit patients in an industry often characterized by competition and transparency.
“This flips the script on what we often hear about corporate healthcare,” explains Julia Bodner, one of the study authors and a professor at Copenhagen Business School. “In areas like nursing homes or dialysis centers, chain ownership often puts profits over patients. But in fertility clinics, it’s a different story – big companies actually make patient outcomes better by sharing resources and expertise.”
Unlike other sectors of healthcare, fertility clinics operate in a competitive marketplace in which patients can compare services, quality and costs. According to the researchers, this transparency drives chain-owned clinics to enhance care standards and invest in patient outcomes. With global fertility rates declining and demand for fertility services rising, corporate ownership offers a scalable solution to meet these challenges while maintaining a high standard of care.
“This is one of the few branches of medicine where the free market is really working in favor of patients,” adds Ambar La Forgia, a co-author and professor in the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. “We’re seeing companies invest in quality because it’s what keeps patients coming through the door.”
The study also highlights the profound human impact behind the data. For many patients, these improved outcomes mean the realization of lifelong dreams. “At the end of the day, this isn’t just about statistics or economics – it’s about giving people the chance to build families they’ve dreamed of,” says Bodner. “Every successful treatment is a life changed, a new hope realized and a future reimagined.”
About INFORMS and Management Science
INFORMS is the world’s largest association for professionals and students in operations research, AI, analytics, data science and related disciplines, serving as a global authority in advancing cutting-edge practices and fostering an interdisciplinary community of innovation. Management Science, a leading journal by INFORMS, publishes quantitative research on management practices across organizations. INFORMS empowers its community to improve organizational performance and drive data-driven decision-making through its journals, conferences and resources. Learn more at www.informs.org or @informs.
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443-757-3578