The Ensign Group Announces Acquisition of Doctors Express Franchise System

The Ensign Group, Inc.

, the parent company of the Ensign™ group of skilled nursing, rehabilitative care services, hospice care, assisted living and urgent care companies, today announced that its urgent care joint venture, Immediate Clinic LLC, has acquired Doctors Express, a national urgent care franchise system. The asset acquisition was effective on Thursday, March 1, 2012. "The combination of the Doctors Express franchise system with Immediate Clinic's company-owned walk-in clinics broadens our reach into the urgent care business," said Christopher Christensen, Ensign's President and Chief Executive Officer. He noted that the arrangement would not only create operating synergies for the combined venture, but that "together, they provide Ensign with rapid access to a national network of urgent care facilities, without an enormous capital investment."