Irish company RelateCare to create 255 new jobs in Sherwood, Ark.
SHERWOOD, Ark. (March 2, 2023) – RelateCare, an Irish healthcare communications and services organization, today announced that it will create 255 new jobs within three years in Sherwood, Ark., to support back-office functions for hospitals and healthcare facilities for clients in the United States.
RelateCare executives joined state and local officials this morning to make the announcement at the company’s newly-leased facility at the Wildwood Centre in Sherwood. RelateCare, headquartered in Waterford, Ireland, began as a joint venture between Rigneydolphin and leading U.S. healthcare institution Cleveland Clinic in 2014 and already employs 100 staff in Arkansas primarily in the Little Rock area.
“RelateCare has seen rapid growth over the past two years, with our administrative and clinical solutions increasingly supporting a wide range of health systems in the United States,” said Conor O’Byrne, CEO of RelateCare Group. “We’re delighted to widen our U.S. operations here in Sherwood, Arkansas during a very exciting time of customer expansion for our company. Our goal is to provide a flexible working model that affords our employees great opportunities to progress and upskill to support our dynamic business. As a homegrown Irish organization increasingly focused on growing in the U.S., we now have a really strong platform to continue to drive solutions and create value for our healthcare clients here.”
RelateCare provides patient-access and patient-engagement solutions to leading healthcare organizations around the world through its technology platforms. Part of the Akusus Group, the company has seen rapid growth over the last decade and currently employs more than 1,400 people in Ireland and the United States, with 500 of those jobs added in the past year alone.
“My administration is working to make Arkansas the best state in the country to live, work, and raise a family – and that starts by creating an economy where jobs are abundant, and paychecks are rising. Through their landmark investment in our state, RelateCare is helping us build the economy we need to take Arkansas to the top,” said Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “I thank the RelateCare team for choosing our state and look forward to working with them to pursue policies that make Arkansas an even more favorable candidate for business expansion.”
The new hub in Sherwood will serve to support RelateCare’s clientele through remote clinical support services, post-discharge management services, and telehealth and patient appointment scheduling services. RelateCare plans to hire new management executives, support staff members, and access-to-care staff members. More than 20 million appointments are scheduled through RelateCare each year.
“We are proud to welcome RelateCare to Arkansas, where it will find a robust workforce to power its operations,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “Arkansas continues to provide a competitive business environment for international companies to grow and thrive.”
RelateCare’s headquarters are in Waterford City, with U.S. Hubs in Cleveland, Ohio and Little Rock, Arkansas. Client partners include Cleveland Clinic, Stanford Children’s Health, Beth Israel Lahey Health, Duke Health and the Health Service Executive in Ireland, among many others.
“This announcement proves yet again that metro Little Rock is a destination of choice for international employers,” said Jay Chesshir, president and CEO of the Little Rock Regional Chamber. “I want to thank RelateCare for placing their trust in us and congratulate Mayor Heye-Townsell on this significant jobs announcement.”
“I would like to welcome RelateCare to the city of Sherwood,” said Sherwood Mayor Mary Jo Heye-Townsell. “This announcement is a major milestone for our city, as it not only creates new opportunities for our residents, but also drives economic growth and development. The infusion of new jobs will bring in more money to our local economy, stimulate business growth and create a positive ripple effect for years to come. I am thrilled to see our city thriving, and I know this is only the beginning of even greater things to come.”
RelateCare provides support and assistance for staff to work remotely, with a focus on productivity and professional development as part of a sustainable hybrid model. The company increasingly uses virtual platforms to communicate effectively and drive solutions for clients, offering real opportunities for employees to upskill and add value.