The Dallas County Hospital generates 152 jobs that add $7,590,503 to Dallas County’s economy, according to a study released Wednesday by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA).
In addition, DCH employees by themselves spend $1,961,517 on local retail sales and contribute $117,691 in state sales tax revenue, the study showed.
“At Dallas County Hospital, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to serve our county not only in healthcare but also by contributing a positive impact to our county’s economy,” said Angela Mortoza, DHC chief executive officer. “Dallas County Hospital is proud to be an active member in our county.”
The IHA study looked at jobs, income, retail sales and sales tax produced by hospitals and the rest of the state’s healthcare sector. The data was compiled from the American Hospital Association’s Annual Survey of Hospitals, using software other industries use to measure their economic impact.
Iowa hospitals directly employ 72,008 people and create another 55,492 jobs outside the hospital sector. As an income source, hospitals provide $4.5 billion in salaries and benefits and generate another $2.3 billion through other jobs that depend on hospitals.
Statewide the healthcare sector — including offices of physicians, dentists and other health practitioners, nursing homes and residential care facilities, other medical and health services and pharmacies — contributes $16.6 billion to Iowa’s economy while directly and indirectly providing 324,977 jobs, or about 20 percent of the state’s total non-farm employment.
“Through the many changes in healthcare, there is one certainty,” said IHA president and CEO Kirk Norris. “Hospitals and healthcare are vital to Iowa’s economy. With nearly 325,000 jobs, healthcare is one of Iowa’s largest employers, and hospitals remain, by far, the biggest contributor to that number. In Iowa cities and counties, hospitals are uniformly among the largest employers.”
The IHA is a voluntary organization representing hospital and health system interests to business, government and consumer audiences. All of Iowa’s 118 community hospitals are IHA members.
Macinzie McFarland is the public relations manager at the Dallas County Hospital.
