LLR Partners and WellPoint Invest in Physicians Immediate Care; Stan Blaylock Appointed as CEO

July 26, 2012

LLR Partners and WellPoint announced a growth capital investment in Physicians Immediate Care LLC. Physicians Immediate Care LLC provides management services to 20 independently-owned medical clinics in Illinois, Nebraska, and Oklahoma operated under the trade name “Physicians Immediate Care.”  These clinics offer urgent care, occupational medicine, physical therapy and employer services such as physicals and drug screening. The financing will be used to expand the network and enhance the patient care offering of the clinics managed by Physicians Immediate Care LLC.

A veteran of the healthcare services industry, Stanley B. Blaylock also invested in Physicians Immediate Care LLC and is joining the company as president and chief executive officer. Blaylock most recently was the president of Walgreens Health Services, the managed care and specialty services division of Walgreens.

Since 1987, Physicians Immediate Care clinics have served walk-in patients in need of non-emergency medical attention, helping alleviate accessibility and affordability issues by providing an emergency room (ER) alternative and option for patients who are unable to see their regular primary care doctor.  Urgent care centers provide quality care and can cost patients significantly less than an ER.

“Rising costs, a shortage of primary care physicians and crowded ERs are driving consumers to seek more convenient, cost-effective care,” said Scott Perricelli, partner on the Healthcare Services investment team at LLR Partners. “The demand has escalated urgent care to a multi-billion dollar industry serving more than 150 million patient visits per year, but no single provider owns more than a small share. Under the proven leadership of Stan and his management team, Physicians Immediate Care LLC has the opportunity to enhance the position of Physicians Immediate Care clinics in this market by striving to deliver better, faster and more affordable healthcare.”

“I am excited about joining the company as we look to grow our footprint of clinics under management while maintaining the high quality of care and patient satisfaction delivered by Physicians Immediate Care’s committed providers,” said Stan Blaylock. “Dr. Koehler, a pioneer in the urgent care industry, has built the Physicians Immediate Care brand into an outstanding platform upon which we intend to expand rapidly. Our goal is to be part of the solution to healthcare’s persistent problems of cost, quality and access to care.”

Blaylock will join the Board of Directors at Physicians Immediate Care LLC, along with John Koehler, M.D., Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Physicians Immediate Care clinics.