The for-profit Ardent Health system closed its initial public offering about a month ago and said in a press release that it intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and to acquire complementary businesses. As it turns out, Ardent is targeting urgent care investment as its “most immediate focus” for the second half of the year—both de novo and acquisition deals—according to Modern Healthcare. Already this year, the organization has purchased/launched 8 urgent care centers. Its urgent care and freestanding emergency department category includes about 50 locations, according to the website.
Expanded footprint: Ardent’s operations cover 30 acute care hospitals, 200 sites of care, and 1,700 providers across 6 states. Acquiring additional urgent cares could provide a more robust pipeline of referrals, especially in new markets.
Read More