The Ensign Group Acquires Omaha Nursing Center

The Ensign Group

, the parent company of the Ensign™ group of skilled nursing, rehabilitative care services, home health, hospice care, assisted living and urgent care companies, announced today that it acquired Omaha Nursing Center located in Omaha, Nebraska. The acquisition will be effective as of May 1, 2013. "This strategic acquisition offers tremendous operating synergies for Ensign's existing operational base in Nebraska and Iowa," said Christopher Christensen, Ensign's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are especially pleased to be joining Omaha's vibrant and well-regarded healthcare community," he added. Michael Clegg, President of Ensign's Nebraska-based Gateway Healthcare subsidiary, noted that the operations in this facility are in good condition, adding, "the former operator has done an incredible job of creating a caring, competent and patient-centered environment", and that Gateway and Ensign are hoping to enhance and build upon what he called "the outstanding foundation of quality care already present." He added that staff, resident and community response to Ensign's acquisition of the facility has been overwhelmingly positive and that he expects the facility, which had an occupancy rate of approximately 78% at acquisition, to be mildly accretive to earnings in 2013. In