MISSION VIEJO, Calif., July 6, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG), the parent company of the Ensign™ group of skilled nursing, rehabilitative care services, home health care, hospice care, assisted living and urgent care companies, announced today that Cornerstone Healthcare, Inc., Ensign's home health and hospice portfolio subsidiary, had acquired Buena Vista Hospice, a Medicare and Medi-Cal certified hospice agency serving the Ventura County area from an office in Westlake Village, California. The acquisition was effective July 1, 2015.
"We are pleased to announce this new addition to our hospice operations," said Christopher Christensen, Ensign's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Ensign has a strong presence in Ventura County, and the acquisition of Buena Vista showcases our commitment the area and our desire to build a post-acute continuum of care that will truly meet the needs of this strategic market."
"We are excited to partner with the premier provider of hospice services in Ventura County," said Cornerstone's President and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Walker. "Over more than a decade," Walker continued, "Buena Vista's founder, Bonnie Olson built a remarkable team of talented caregivers, a strong hospice culture, and deep community relationships. We are grateful for this legacy and excited to be a part of Buena Vista's next chapter."
Mr. Walker affirmed that he expects the operations to be accretive to earnings in 2015. With the acquisition, Cornerstone now owns 14 hospice operations, 14 home health operations and three home care operations in nine western states.
Mr. Walker reaffirmed that Cornerstone is actively seeking additional opportunities to acquire both well-performing and struggling home health, hospice, and home care operations across the United States.
About EnsignTM:
The Ensign Group, Inc.'s independent operating subsidiaries provide a broad spectrum of skilled nursing and assisted living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, home health and hospice services, urgent care services and other rehabilitative and healthcare services at 161 facilities, fourteen hospice companies, fourteen home health businesses, three home care businesses, and seventeen urgent care clinics in California, Arizona, Texas, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon and Wisconsin. More information about Ensign is available at http://www.ensigngroup.net.