Schumacher and ECI merger creates physician-staffing giant

Schumacher Clinical Partners, a physician staffing company with 5,200 doctors contracted to hospitals, is acquiring ECI Healthcare Partners. Terms were not disclosed.

Based in Lafayette, La., Schumacher has a major presence in the southeastern U.S. and the Gulf states, while ECI’s major markets are in California and along the West Coast, as well as in the Northeast and the Midwest.

Schumacher has about 300 contracts to staff hospital emergency departments and provide hospitalists, serving about 6 million patients annually. Traverse City, Mich.-based ECI has about 2,000 employed physicians and 150 contracts serving 2 million patients. The combined entity will operate in 32 states.

The companies expect to complete the deal in the second quarter.

Schumacher was founded in 1984 by Dr. William “Kip” Schumacher, who still serves as the company’s executive chairman. ECI was founded in 1972.