NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Sept. 23, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IPC Healthcare, Inc. (Nasdaq:IPCM), a leading national acute hospitalist and post-acute provider organization, announced today that it has acquired the psychiatry practice of Ashit K. Vijapura, M.D. The Tampa, Florida-based practice focuses on providing psychiatry services in both acute and post-acute settings.
"We are pleased to welcome Dr. Vijapura and his team to the IPC family, as both acute and post-acute settings are increasingly seeing a need for quality behavioral health clinical programs. Dr. Vijapura's practice will expand our intellectual capital and capabilities in this important subspecialty area to another IPC market," said R. Jeffrey Taylor, president and COO of IPC Healthcare.
Taylor added, "A large percentage of patients who become hospitalized or treated in a skilled nursing facility also suffer from temporary or chronic behavioral health issues. Unless treated effectively, these issues can negatively affect treatment costs and patient outcomes. As the healthcare environment moves to a greater focus on population health management, we believe that behavioral health services will play an increasingly important role at IPC."
Dr. Vijapura will join IPC as a Practice Group Leader in the Tampa area.
This acquisition is expected to add more than 24,500 encounters on a combined annualized basis.
About IPC Healthcare, Inc.
IPC Healthcare, Inc. (Nasdaq:IPCM) is a leading national acute hospitalist and post-acute provider group practice company. IPC Healthcare's affiliated physicians and other clinical providers practice in approximately 400 hospitals and 2,000 post-acute care facilities. The Company offers its more than 2,000 employed clinicians comprehensive training, information technology, and management support systems to improve the quality and reduce the cost of patient care in the facilities it serves. For more information, visit the IPC Healthcare website at www.ipchealthcare.com