Envision Healthcare Corporation (“Envision”) recently announced an agreement to be acquired by KKR & Co. L.P. (“KKR”) for about $5.5 billion in cash. The transaction is valued at $9.9 billion, including the assumption or repayment of debt.  The transaction remains subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals, but is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Envision, based on Nashville, TN, is a national physician staffing company and provider of physician services, including post-acute care and ambulatory surgery. KKR is a global private equity firm headquartered in New York, NY. The agreement to acquire Envision follows KKR’s 2017 acquisition of American Medical Response, an ambulance business subsidiary of Envision, for $2.4 billion.

It has been reported that other private equity firms including a consortium of Carlyle Group LP and TPG global competed for Envision.  According to a report by Bain & Co., the value of private equity deals in healthcare across the globe reached $42.6 billion in 2017, up 17% from $36.4 billion in 2016.

Regarding its acquisition of Envision, Jim Momtazee, Head of KKR’s Health Care investment team states:

Envision has a very strong reputation for delivering high-quality, patient-focused care through its network of 25,000 clinical professionals at thousands of hospitals, surgery centers and alternate sites of care across the country.  We are excited to partner with the outstanding team lead by Chris Holden to help build upon the strong foundation in place and accelerate Envision’s growth going forward.