Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based home health nursing company Amedisys has agreed to purchase a home health and hospice agency from Upper Chesapeake Health System and St. Joseph Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

The proposed acquisition represents Amedisys' initial entry into the hospice market in Maryland and reportedly increases Amedisys' current home health presence throughout Northeast Maryland. Maryland is a Certificate of Need state for both home health and hospice. The agencies had revenue for their year ended December 31, 2008 of approximately $11million, but are not expected to add materially to Amedisys' earnings in 2009.

The company also has closed on the previously announced acquisition from the White River Health System, consisting of three home health agencies and one hospice agency headquartered in Batesville, Arkansas. These agencies had revenue for their fiscal year ended September 30, 2008 of approximately $2.9 million, but are not expected to add materially to Amedisys' earnings in 2009.

William Borne, Chief Executive Officer of Amedisys, said: “We welcome the addition of Upper Chesapeake and St. Joseph to the Amedisys family and look forward to continuing the excellent care provided by these agencies and expanding our presence and services throughout Northeast Maryland. This acquisition highlights our business strategy of strategically growing our home health and hospice businesses.”