A Doctors Express location is on the bottom level of the Towers Shopping Center in Roanoke. (Photo by Jeanna Duerscherl / The Roanoke Times)

The Ensign Group Inc., the publicly traded company that runs nursing, rehab, assisted living and hospice services, has acquired the national urgent care franchise Doctors Express.

A Doctors Express recently opened in Roanoke as part of a growing trend of urgent care centers coming to the region.

The acquisition was announced Monday and took effect March 1. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Doctors Express will retain its name, identity and franchised operating model, and will be part of Ensign’s newly created Immediate Clinic subsidiary, according to a news release issued by Ensign. The company, which The Wall Street Journal listed as on of the most acquisitive companies in the country,   also said it is continuing to look at opportunities to acquire existing urgent care businesses.

Doctors Express currently has 49 franchised urgent care centers in operation, with an additional 85 franchises are under contract and expected to be operating by the end of 2012.