Formativ Health bringing 500 jobs to Jacksonville

Another 500 jobs coming to Jacksonville.

Formativ Health is opening up on the Southside. Their goal is to establish a Patient Access Center to help work through the insurance and healthcare process, both to make things easier for patients and to take that burden off the doctors so they can focus on care.

“We really want to create a one stop ship for patients who are navigating big health systems,” says Formativ Health Chief Patient Access Officer June Scarlett, who will oversee the Jacksonville operation.

We’re told they plan to hire and train over the next 18 months, during which time they will build out four floors they’re leasing in an office complex off Belfort Road. Partial operations will begin in April 2017.

“We’re going to take that burden off of the doctor’s staff, we’re going to provide an experience for that patient that’s going to be satisfactory and improve their experience clinically,” says Formativ Health CEO Dennis Dowling.

He added that this move is “just the beginning”, as they look to grow and expand.

Dowling says they were exploring other places in Florida to consider locating, but Jacksonville’s personality helped set it over the top.

“You can’t fake personality, and this city has personality. It has enthusiasm, it has an excitement, it is a warm, welcoming place to be, and it just exhibits that wherever you go and whoever you talk to,” he says.

He says personal interactions with the business community also helped them make their decision.

“This further solidifies Jacksonville’s place as that leader in health and life sciences,” says JAX Chamber Chair Darnell Smith.

Jacksonville’s Mayor also praised the move, saying he’s happy Formativ Health is using Jacksonville as a platform for their innovation.

“It’s another big win, it’s more jobs. Create an economic opportunity and prosperity for people in our city,” says Mayor Lenny Curry.

Formativ Health is an enterprise that was founded earlier this month by Northwell Health and Pamplona Capital Management. Northwell Health is New York state’s largest healthcare provider. Pamplona Capital Management is a private equity firm.

The JAX Chamber confirms Formativ Health is not getting any incentives from the City. The company will partner with CareerSource of Northeast Florida for employee recruitment and job training assistance.

This is just the latest of several big jobs related announcements the City has made in recent weeks, although other big moves have come with City incentives.

Amazon is creating two fulfillment centers in Jacksonville, adding a total of 2,500 jobs in the coming years. UPS is also investing close to $200 million in an expansion in Jacksonville.