Less than a week into the New Year and 2012 is off to a great start with announcements of several exciting projects, including news about a company that is the largest provider of wound care and related disease management in the country.

Jacksonville-based Diversified Clinical Services, which merged with Boca Raton, Florida-based National Healing Corporation, will keep and expand the headquarters of the new company in Jacksonville. The company, which will now be known as National Healing Corporation, is making a significant investment in the city, adding more than 60 employees and expanding its Jacksonville headquarters. The company will build a state-of-the-art, high-tech training center that will serve as a global hub for wound care education. Hundreds of doctors, nurses and other medical technicians will travel to Jacksonville each month for training.

National Healing, which has 2,000 employees nationwide, will add to its staff in Jacksonville, expanding from 80 to 145 employees. National Healing manages more than 500 wound care centers in more than 10 percent of the hospitals in the nation, including Baptist Beaches and Baptist Downtown in Jacksonville. The company provides hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, long‐term acute care hospitals, rehabilitation centers, home health care and physician management with the innovation, resources and talent to provide more patients with affordable access to life‐saving wound care.

The JAX region is recognized as one of the nation’s top business communities because it provides a quality environment in which companies can thrive. This would not be possible without local and state government entities and economic development organizations working together including Gov. Scott, former Mayor Peyton, Mayor Brown, JAX Chamber, JAXUSA Partnership, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission and Enterprise Florida.

Stay tuned to WhatsUpJacksonville.com for more economic development news!