Align Capital Partners acquires Heritage Imaging to boost rural healthcare access

What's the deal? Align Capital Partners (ACP), a private equity firm, has acquired Heritage Imaging, a provider of mobile diagnostic imaging services to hospitals and healthcare facilities across 14 US states. Heritage's chief executive officer Dr. Steve Coppess will continue to lead the company alongside its existing management team.

Founded in 1989, Heritage delivers advanced imaging solutions — including PET/CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, and echocardiography — through fully staffed mobile units and leased equipment. It focuses on underserved and rural markets, serving critical access hospitals, community clinics, and local healthcare centres.

Why now? Rural hospitals across the US face growing pressure to offer advanced diagnostics without the capital to buy and staff expensive imaging equipment. Heritage's mobile model lets these facilities provide care locally, reducing patient travel time. ACP sees an opportunity to scale that model faster through acquisitions.

"Heritage was established to help hospitals provide the best possible experience and outcomes for patients, no matter where they live," said Dr. Coppess. "Align's operational resources and proven track record of successful M&A make them a great fit to help us reach our goals faster."

Rob Langley, managing partner at ACP, called Heritage "a trusted imaging partner to hospitals operating in rural America," highlighting the company's history of M&A as a foundation for future growth.

What could go wrong? Consolidation in healthcare services can raise concerns about pricing power and service quality — especially in rural areas with few alternatives. Heritage will also need to integrate future acquisitions smoothly while maintaining the clinical standards that earned it hospital partnerships across 14 states.

The signal: This deal reflects a broader private equity trend: backing healthcare services businesses that fill gaps left by strained rural infrastructure. As hospitals in smaller markets struggle to retain specialists and fund capital-intensive equipment, outsourced mobile imaging is becoming essential rather than optional. Expect more PE-backed roll-ups in this space as demand grows and reimbursement models evolve.

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