A joint venture of Mission Viejo-based nursing home company Ensign Group Inc. has acquired Baltimore-based Doctors Express Inc., which operates 49 walk-in urgent care facilities.
Immediate Clinic LLC in Phoenix bought the company on disclosed terms.
Ensign formed Immediate Clinic in Jan-uary to expand its presence in urgent care.
Its partner in the joint venture is John Shufelt, founder and former chief executive of Mesa, Ariz.-based NextCare Inc.
Doctors Express, which was founded in 2005, has awarded 143 franchises in 24 states. An estimated 85 of those will be operating by the end of 2012.
—Vita Reed
