HCA Healthcare said Wednesday it has struck a deal to acquire The College of Health Care Professions, a Houston-based allied health training school that teaches more than 8,000 students a year across ten Texas campuses and online. The two organizations are pitching the move as a way to shore up clinical staffing pipelines, folding CHCP’s classroom and virtual programs into HCA’s expanding education portfolio.
HCA and CHCP announced the agreement in a joint statement, saying terms were not disclosed and the transaction is subject to regulatory approval and standard closing conditions. According to HCA Healthcare, CHCP serves more than 8,000 students each year, offers more than 20 accredited programs, and will continue under the leadership of Chancellor and CEO Eric Bing.
What CHCP Brings to the Table
Founded in 1988, CHCP says it has prepared more than 52,000 students for healthcare careers and now lists ten brick-and-mortar locations across Texas in addition to online options. CHCP highlights programs ranging from medical assisting and radiologic technology to sonography and surgical technology, the same kinds of roles HCA has flagged as critical for staffing urgent care and outpatient sites.
Why HCA Says the Purchase Matters
HCA is framing the buyout as an investment in its talent pipeline, pointing to a decades-long relationship with CHCP that has included advisory board work, clinical placements, and upskilling initiatives. The company’s release cites a 2023 pilot, a 12-week medical assistant program for HCA urgent care colleagues in Texas, that produced more than 100 graduates and internal hires. HCA Healthcare quoted CEO Sam Hazen saying CHCP has built a “strong legacy” of preparing skilled healthcare professionals.
The deal fits a clear pattern. HCA purchased a majority interest in Galen College of Nursing in 2020 and has since grown that nursing school’s campus footprint, using education investments as on-ramps into clinical roles. As reported by Healthcare Dive, those education plays are part of a broader push to lock in trained staff amid national workforce strain.
HCA’s statement notes that Macquarie Capital advised CHCP on the transaction and that legal counsel included Cooley LLP for CHCP and Holland & Knight and Husch Blackwell for HCA. The companies have not provided a closing timeline, and the sale still depends on regulatory clearance.
For students and Texas healthcare providers, the pitch is stability rather than disruption. HCA said CHCP will “continue to educate, support and empower students” within the larger system, while CHCP’s current leadership stays in place as both sides work through accreditation, placement, and clinical experience planning.
