Healthcare Staffing Report: Feb. 5, 2015

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On Assignment sells physician staffing unit for $123 million

On Assignment Inc. (NYSE: ASGN) announced Tuesday it completed the sale of its physician staffing segment, Vista Staffing Solutions Inc., to Envision Healthcare (NYSE: EVHC). The company had announced the sales price was $123.0 million.

Vista provides locum tenens staffing and permanent placement services for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. On Assignment ranked as the fourth-largest US locum tenens staffing firm. The company had acquired Salt Lake City-based Vista in January 2007.

The transaction is expected to close this month pending completion of certain closing conditions.

Estimated revenues from Vista for 2014 were approximately $135.0 million.

“We were approached by Envision, one of the largest and most respected healthcare companies in the industry, to acquire Vista and determined that this would greatly benefit both organizations, our employees, and our stockholders,” said On Assignment President and CEO Peter Dameris. “This is an incredible opportunity for Vista to align with a world class healthcare organization. Furthermore, this transaction will provide us with additional cash to pursue strategic acquisitions, execute repurchases of shares, increase investments in our organic growth strategy and pay down debt.”

On Assignment’s other business units provide IT and life sciences staffing. The company sold its allied healthcare division in December 2013 and sold its travel nurse division in February 2013. However, On Assignment acquired Whitaker Medical LLC, a provider of physician staffing based in Houston, in December 2013.

Envision provides outsourced medical services and counts more than 34,000 employees and affiliated physicians. Headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colo., its entities includes American Medical Response Inc., EmCare Holdings Inc. and Evolution Health LLC. AMR provides medical transportation services; EmCare provides facility-based physician services; and Evolution Health provides comprehensive care to patients.

“We staff thousands of clinicians each year so joining forces with the very talented team of one of the largest locum tenens physician staffing firms in the nation was a logical move,” said William Sanger, chairman, president and CEO of Envision. “We are dedicated to being pioneers in each area of healthcare we operate and that includes the staffing of our workforce. Vista’s business practices and systems will be key differentiators for us as we develop our comprehensive multi-specialty staffing practice for all levels of clinicians.”