NEW ORLEANS — The Focus Group, a New Orleans healthcare startup, has announced that it is merging with the independent national research and consulting firm Health Management Associates, based in Lansing, Mich.
“Our merger with HMA proves that New Orleans is a great place in which to start and grow businesses,” said David Kulick, founder and managing director of the Focus Group, in a press release. “The entrepreneurship ecosystem is alive and well in our city, a culturally rich market with many advantages for companies looking to scale.”
Founded in New Orleans in 2014, the Focus Group “helps healthcare clients navigate the intersection of healthcare policy, payment, and delivery by devising and implementing strategies that create change and fuel growth.” Kulick said the company will maintain an office in New Orleans.
“We’re excited to add the Focus Group to our growing list of New Orleans startup success stories, which includes Lucid, Levelset and others.” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of GNO Inc. “New Orleans is a hub for innovation, and our entrepreneurs are not only experiencing personal success, they are reinvesting in our city’s future. That’s why I’m especially thrilled that the Focus Group will continue to have an office here, and David will be contributing his time and talents to our community.”
“The Focus Group represents the power of home-grown startups to create jobs and drive economic growth in New Orleans,” said Jimmy Roussel, president and CEO of the New Orleans Startup Fund. “This is a success story that we can all be proud of, and I’d like to congratulate David and his team on this major achievement.”
In addition to the Focus Group, another New Orleans healthcare company, Adaptation Health, is joining HMA. Founded in 2017, Adaptation Health is an innovation consultancy and incubator based in New Orleans that works with state Medicaid programs and managed care organizations to drive adoption of new delivery and engagement solutions. Adaptation brings together leaders from these sectors to solve systemic problems in publicly funded healthcare.
