iSirona to Expand Operations in Florida

iSirona, a medical device integration solutions provider, will undergo a $2.25 million expansion in Panama City, Fla., creating 300 new jobs for the Sunshine State.

“For its expansion, iSirona considered other locations like California, Texas and Virginia, but chose Florida for our business climate,” Gov. Rick Scott said in a prepared statement. “There have been more than 365,000 private-sector jobs created in the last two years and our unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in five years.”

Established in 2008 and headquartered in Panama City, iSirona helps clinicians make more informed decisions about patients by providing an easy-to-use approach for medical device integration. iSirona was ranked the fifth fastest-growing private company in U.S. healthcare in 2012 by Inc. Magazine. Since the beginning of 2012, the company has grown from 31 employees to more than 180; this expansion will triple its workforce to more than 400 employees.

“We consider Florida and Panama City to be partners in iSirona’s success,” iSirona CEO Dave Dyell said. “We continue to be pleased with the statewide commitment to nurture the high-tech sector; universities and community colleges [for] resources; and our ability to recruit talent. We are delighted to bring more jobs to Panama City.”

The company received a $1.5 million grant from the Industry Recruitment, Retention & Expansion Fund Grant Program, which is administered by the University of West Florida.

“iSirona could be in Silicon Valley but because of the business incentives created by Florida’s legislature and Governor Scott, they are located in what they like to call Silicon Bay in Northwest Florida,” State Senate President Don Gaetz said. “Helping our businesses stay and expand sends the right message to private sector job creators looking to expand or relocate to Florida and is key to Northwest Florida’s continued recovery from the impacts of the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill.”

State representatives said Florida’s software and computer systems design and integration industry is one of the largest in the United States, encompassing roughly 12,600 firms. Nearly half of the more than 80,000 professionals who work in the field are employed by software development firms, and the remaining working in related technology-intensive industries throughout the state.

Secretary of Commerce and president & CEO of Enterprise Florida Gray Swoope said, “The consolidation of iSirona’s operations in Panama City is telling of the proactivity of the high-tech industry in Florida. The research and development network and workforce in Florida will help companies like iSirona continue their product development and innovation.”

This project was made possible through strong partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the University of West Florida, Bay County Economic Development Alliance, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, City of Panama City, Bay County Board of County Commissioners, and the Gulf Coast Workforce Board.

“It’s gratifying to see locally based businesses prosper and expand,” said Chairman Guy Tunnell, Bay County Board of County Commissioners. “We’re thrilled that we’ve been able to work together with other entities to create a business-friendly environment in which iSirona feels confident and comfortable to move forward.”

“iSirona has been an integral part of the downtown Panama City fabric and, now with this growth, will continue to be a catalyst to help complete the redevelopment of the downtown area,” Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki said.

iSirona helps hospitals leverage patient data through medical device integration, which syncs device data with electronic records, giving clinicians access—enterprise wide—to near-real-time patient information. On Jan. 1, the company became part of NantHealth, a healthcare IT company that combines science, technology and data to provide actionable information that enables better diagnostics, improved patient care and advanced wellness.