With regard to your DCI project, I have the following
thoughts:

The key to the rationalization of dialysis services
is proprietary information about the way that dialysis
units are actually operated. 

I would take advantage of DCI resources to develop such
information.

I would collect such information systematically as if I
were writing a monograph/textbook on the economic/social/
technical aspects of operating dialysis units.

A major cost in the operation of dialysis units seems to
me to be the uncertainty/unpredictability of avrious
components, e.g. actual utilization, the number of patients, 
the wuality of professional and ancillary staffing, equipment
acquisition and maintenance expenses etc.

It seems important to understand how a consortium (larger
organization) might try to minimize these uncertainty costs;
for example: by sharing resources, data collection and
management, making provision for key back-up employees,
e.g. technicians, experienced nurses, dialysis unit directors,
physicians, who could "pinch hit" in emergencies, and whose
availability would make possible more efficient operation,
sharing legal, accounting services.