Certificate of Need

A Certificate of Need (CON) is a legal document that healthcare providers must obtain before building new facilities, expanding existing ones, or offering certain services. The purpose of a CON is to ensure that the community needs the proposed healthcare services and that they won't unnecessarily duplicate existing resources. This process helps manage healthcare costs and maintain quality by assessing whether a new service is essential for the community’s health. States have different regulations regarding CONs, and they aim to balance the growth of healthcare services with the need for efficiency and accessibility.