Transaction helps firm expand health care advisory capabilities with Lean Six Sigma credentials

(May 18, 2011)---KPMG LLP (Canada) today announces the acquisition of HIO Group Incorporated (HIO), a leading operations and quality improvement health care consulting firm in Canada with Lean Six Sigma credentials. This deal strengthens KPMG’s commitment to creating meaningful improvements in health care quality, access, and sustainability.

HIO is recognized for its ability to improve quality of care, reduce wait times, and lower costs for a range of health care clients. 

“This latest addition to our health care portfolio is another strong example of KPMG’s commitment to Canada’s health care advisory practice. HIO’s experience and expertise working with clients to tackle some of the toughest and most complex problems will significantly enhance our ability to work with clients to address the global challenge of providing affordable health care at the highest possible quality to citizens and patients alike,” says Jeff Smith, Canadian Managing Partner of KPMG’s Advisory practice.

HIO senior management and staff will be integrated into KPMG’s Advisory practice. The HIO team includes clinicians, engineers, senior managers, and management consultants with extensive experience in advising clients across the health care continuum (governments, health authorities, hospitals and community organizations). HIO’s core expertise includes:

• Reducing patient wait times (e.g. emergency care, surgery, diagnostic imaging)
• Improving quality of care (e.g. lowering readmission rates)
• Improving efficiency and value (e.g. inventory, logistics)
• Training executives, clinicians, and staff (e.g. lean health care certification).

“HIO has developed a great reputation for working collaboratively with clients to use evidence to improve quality and performance outcomes for patients,” says Georgina Black, National Healthcare Practice Leader at KPMG.

HIO has worked with over 65 hospitals to support performance improvement initiatives that have reduced wait times and paperwork so that clinicians can spend more time with patients, and build skill sets within health care providers so that continuous improvement becomes part of the organization’s culture.

“This deal brings together HIO’s operations and quality improvement expertise with the strategy and system transformation specialization of KPMG” said Dylan Hardy, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of HIO.  “It represents the combination of two health care practices that share a vision for transforming the performance and sustainability of Canadian health care," added Gordon Burrill, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of HIO.

This transaction supports KPMG’s growth strategy, which in part focuses on developing opportunities in targeted high-demand market sectors. KPMG is a leader in the Canadian healthcare advisory industry.

For more information contact:

Julie Bannerjea, Head of KPMG’s Media Relations, 416-777-3243, jbannerjea@kpmg.ca or cell ph.(416) 527-1804