Two thirds of the states in the U.S. still require hospitals to submit a CON (Certificate of Need) to the state regulatory arm to justify adding a new service, buy a piece of new equipment, or to renovate their facility, and subsequently consent is either given or denied.

Discuss your research, experiences, and opinion on whether you agree if external regulatory approval like the CON should be mandated for a hospital to position itself next to competitors in an otherwise free-market economy.