MedLife buys the Polisano hospital and clinics in Romania

Romania’s largest private healthcare operator MedLife has signed the acquisition of the Polisano clinic and hospital network. The deal’s value hasn’t been made public, but this may be the largest transaction announced this year on the private healthcare services market. Romania’s Competition Council first needs to approve the deal. The Polisano clinics and hospital recorded a EUR 17 million turnover last year and has some 500 employees. MedLife will reach 6,300 employees if the deal is completed. It will also employ about 5% of Romania’s doctors. The group made its first purchase in 2011 by buying the majority stake in the PDR Brasov group of firms. In the last seven years, the company has carried out 16 acquisitions. The most recent was the purchase of the Humanitas hospital in Cluj. MedLife, which is controlled by the local Marcu family, listed its shares on the Bucharest Stock Exchange in December 2016. The company is currently valued at some EUR 160 million. The Polisano group was founded by local entrepreneur Ilie Vonica, who turned it into one of the biggest businesses in the local pharma and healthcare sector. After Vonica’s tragic death in 2014, the group had financial problems and his heirs decided to sell parts of it. In 2016, Sensiblu bought 78 Polisano pharmacies. editor@romania-insider.com