Inside the Healthcare Succession Crisis — And How Enventure is Quietly Solving It

By Thrive Insider

While headlines in healthcare today are dominated by hospital consolidations, physician burnout, and rapid digital transformation, a quieter yet deeply consequential crisis is brewing: what happens when the founder of a family-run medical practice retires?

According to the Family Firm Institute, nearly 65% of healthcare organizations in the U.S. are family-owned—ranging from local private practices to specialized rehabilitation centers. Yet, alarmingly, close to 40% of these businesses lack a formal succession plan. That oversight isn't just an operational risk—it’s a ticking clock that threatens both care continuity and community well-being.

This is where Akit Shrivastava, founder of Enventure, is making an impact. Operating at the intersection of the U.S. and Indian healthcare ecosystems, Shrivastava and his team are quietly tackling this looming succession gap by working directly with family-owned healthcare businesses to prepare them for generational transition, modernization, and long-term resilience.

“In family-run healthcare, the founder isn’t just the CEO,” says Shrivastava. “They’re often the lead physician, culture-setter, and face of the clinic. Replacing that isn’t just a business decision—it’s emotional, operational, and deeply personal.”

The Emotional Weight of Legacy

Family-run healthcare businesses are rarely just businesses—they are community cornerstones. Their founders often serve not only as clinicians but also as community leaders and emotional anchors. That makes succession a fraught process, full of emotional complexity and logistical hurdles.

What’s more, broader industry pressures—like staffing shortages, insurance red tape, and the push for digital transformation—are compounding the succession challenge. The American Medical Association reports that 1 in 5 physicians plan to leave the profession in the next two years. For aging owners of family clinics, the absence of a succession plan can be catastrophic—not just for business, but for the patients and communities that rely on them.

Enventure’s Model: Transition With Purpose

Enventure is pioneering a model that goes beyond capital investment. Under Akit Shrivastava’s leadership, the firm focuses on transformational partnerships that blend operational excellence, emotional intelligence, and respect for legacy.

Instead of pushing out founders or overhauling operations overnight, Enventure encourages early planning—codifying clinical knowledge, mentoring future leaders, and building hybrid leadership models that allow family ownership to continue while bringing in professional managers where needed.

Shrivastava emphasizes that success lies in balancing modernization with continuity. “We’re not here to erase legacies. We’re here to build structures that protect them—while future-proofing operations.”

The Rise of Hybrid Succession

For many families, traditional succession—where a son or daughter takes over the practice—is no longer realistic. Some younger family members lack the medical training or interest; others are daunted by the growing complexity of running a clinic. Enventure helps these organizations adopt hybrid models, where ownership remains in the family but daily leadership is handed to experienced managers with a deep understanding of healthcare systems.

These models, while still evolving, are becoming increasingly popular and often lead to greater stability, better patient outcomes, and improved financial performance.

A Broader Wake-Up Call

The healthcare succession dilemma is just one part of a larger generational transition happening across industries. But in healthcare, the stakes are significantly higher. A failed transition in a manufacturing firm might disrupt a supply chain; in a clinic or eldercare facility, it could disrupt lives.

Shrivastava’s message to the industry is clear: don’t wait. Whether it’s through internal mentoring, external advisory services, or strategic partnerships like those offered by Enventure, now is the time to start preparing for the future.

“Succession doesn’t have to be a goodbye,” Shrivastava says. “With the right roadmap, it can be a new beginning—one that honors the past while building a healthier future.”

As more founders inch toward retirement and the industry reckons with its structural vulnerabilities, solutions like those championed by Akit Shrivastava and Enventure may hold the key to preserving the soul of family-run healthcare—while bringing it fully into the 21st century.