Lankford’s Expertise Spans Pharma, Health Systems Consulting and Anesthesia Services
American Family Care (AFC), an Alabama-based urgent care provider, has named Rhett Lankford as president. Lankford has 20-plus years of experience across healthcare and management services organization (MSO) platforms, including leadership roles at NAPA Managed Services, where he oversaw operational performance across hospitals, surgical centers and academic medical centers. He has also served as director of the Health Industries Advisory at PricewaterhouseCoopers, a professional services company.
“AFC sits at a genuinely compelling intersection — a franchise model built around accessible, high-quality healthcare delivery,” Lankford said. “Having spent my career across pharma, health systems consulting and anesthesia services, I’ve seen firsthand how fragmented and difficult healthcare access can be. As the largest urgent care network in the country with more than 400 clinics across 30 states, AFC has built a strong platform to address this gap at scale. When this opportunity to join AFC as president came across my radar, it felt like a natural convergence of everything I’ve built expertise in — operational scale, franchise-like market expansion and healthcare delivery.”
Lankford emphasized the importance of standardization and agility to the brand’s standing as an industry leader. “The best franchise systems deliver a consistent patient experience regardless of location, and AFC can deepen that through stronger operational playbooks, technology integration and franchisee support infrastructure,” he said. “At the same time, the urgent care space is evolving — value-based care, employer partnerships and expanded service lines are all on the horizon.
“AFC will be a first mover by building the partnerships and capabilities now that position franchisees to capture those opportunities. The brand is strong — the next chapter is about building the systems that scale it. Part of this effort is doubling down on the ‘One AFC Way.’ Reducing operational fragmentation by standardizing clinical workflows and unifying technology platforms for each franchise will in turn reduce costs, improve patient outcomes and enhance provider efficiency.”
Lankford said he leads his team by setting a clear vision, building mutual trust and identifying obstacles as they arise. “Leadership, to me, is about creating clarity and removing friction for the people around you.”
CEO Jeremy Morgan said Lankford’s operational and financial expertise, along with his deep experience with MSO platforms, will be instrumental in building the next generation of support services for the AFC franchise network. “Rhett will help us develop the tools, systems and capabilities our franchise owners need to grow patient volume, operate more efficiently and deliver an even better care experience in their local communities,” Morgan said.
Lankford lives in Texas with his family. When he’s not spending time with them, he enjoys decompressing with a good book.
About AFC
Founded in 1982, AFC has established itself as a leading provider of urgent care, with 400-plus walk-in clinics that treat over 4 million patients annually for the flu, allergies and everyday injuries. The brand also offers a comprehensive range of lab tests, x-rays and occupational medicine services.
