Fueled by Private Equity, a Louisiana Urgent Care Company Triples in Size

Today, SouthStar Urgent Care has 11 clinics in relatively small markets in Louisiana. By year’s end, they expect to have 19; come 2020, they’re adding another 18, tripling their location count in the space of a few months. SouthStar’s new president and chief operating officer says the sudden, dramatic growth is a sign of the company’s commitment to Louisiana and its passion for supporting communities. While that may be, urgent care watchers also recognize it as the latest example of how big a role private equity is playing in the ongoing expansion of urgent care locations in the United States. A Chicago private equity firm called Shore Capital Partners sunk an undisclosed chunk of money into SouthStar’s expansion. Preceding that, SouthStar consummated a strategic partnership with Acadiana, LA-based AHS Walk-In Clinic. For insights into the dynamics of venture capital interest in the urgent care industry, and of acquisitions in general, read The Life Cycle of Urgent Care Acquisitions in the JUCM archive.