• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Lifesigns Acquired By The Prevention Group

Posted on: Friday, 9 December 2005, 12:00 CST

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifesigns, an innovative healthcare company that operates comprehensive physical examination centers across the U.S., has been acquired by The Prevention Group, officials announced today.

Lifesigns has examination centers in Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta and Las Vegas, Nevada. Some 14,000 patients a year receive comprehensive physician exams during a single visit to Lifesigns' spa-like medical centers.

The new owners believe Lifesigns is on the forefront of a renewed emphasis by physicians and healthcare leaders across the country on the value of early detection of illnesses and prevention of treatable illnesses. They plan to expand the services offered in the existing facilities and to introduce Lifesigns to new markets.

"Our goal is to make preventive medicine comfortable, convenient and affordable so more lives can be saved," said Bryan M. Eagle III, a Memphis business entrepreneur and a partner in The Prevention Group.

"I know first hand what it's like to lose a loved one from a preventable disease. If my father had undergone regular exams, like those offered at Lifesigns, the disease that killed him could have been detected and treated."

Longtime Memphis oncologist Dr. William H. West and Eagle formed The Prevention Group earlier this year to invest in efforts that can save lives through preventive medicine. Both were inspired by their own personal losses.

Founded in 1992, Lifesigns is a $8.5 million healthcare company that offers one-stop health exams that include but are not limited to the following: complete physical exam, screening ultrasound, laboratory bloodwork and urinalysis, chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, eye exam, body composition analysis, audiometry, pulmonary function test, mammography, GYN tests, and prostate specific antigen.

Charges for comprehensive physicals can range between $500 and $1000, depending on the tests, with insurance often covering most of the fee.

While such programs have existed for many years at prestigious medical institutions, such as the Mayo Clinic, Lifesigns offers nearly all the same tests to communities around the nation in a more accessible and affordable manner.

"Preventive medicine is being recognized today as more important than ever before," says Dr. West. "The medical community, insurers and the public have begun to realize the value and cost-savings of preventing disease, not just treating it. Lifesigns places the patient in control of his or her health, by providing the necessary screening and guidance to live a long, healthy life."

In addition to accepting patients who proactively seek its program, Lifesigns contracts with businesses around the nation that seek to provide employees with these potentially lifesaving services. Some current partnering companies include: Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Hunter Fan, Sharp Manufacturing, Milwaukee Electric Tool, Kemmons Wilson Companies, Lucite International, Carlisle Corporation, Sanyo Manufacturing and many others.

Healthy Upgrades

As part of their new investment in the company, Lifesigns will be infused with technology upgrades and new equipment in its existing centers, Eagle said.

In addition, Lifesigns' services will be extended beyond early detection to actively preventing disease through limited follow-up care plans. These plans will focus on reducing four key risk factors - smoking cessation, weight loss, lowering blood pressure and lowering cholesterol - to combat lung cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

"We have an opportunity to do more than just identify a health problem," adds Russell Ingram, former executive director and new president and chief operating officer of Lifesigns. "We have a responsibility to help our patients address those problems today."

"Additionally, under new leadership, we plan to grow the company significantly through the development of new centers both organically in our existing markets, as well as in new markets."

Lifesigns was formerly owned by Physiotherapy Associates, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stryker Corporation.

Through this acquisition, Lifesigns will come under new leadership, with West serving as chairman, Eagle serving as chief executive officer, and Ingram serving as president and chief operating officer.

Terms of the deal will not be disclosed. About Lifesigns

Lifesigns is a provider of comprehensive, physician-managed physical examinations, with centers in four major markets: Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. Lifesigns is dedicated to preventive medicine, health promotion, and reduction of risks of chronic disease. Its luxury physical examination centers are built with a focus on comfort and convenience, while its diagnostic services are nothing short of comprehensive. Headquartered in Memphis, TN, Lifesigns was founded in 1992. http://www.lifesignsmd.com/

-0-

Lifesigns

Source: PRNewswire

More News in this Category