Study reveals state’s community hospitals contribute $18.9 billion to the economy in addition to being responsible for 5 percent of total employment.
BY JACOB PALMER | DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
A recent study reveals community hospitals in Oregon contribute $18.9 billion to the economy in addition to being responsible for 5 percent of the state’s total employment.
The research was done by ECONorthwest, and reported by Portland Business Journal.
“Hospitals are a big economic driver,” said Andy Van Pelt, the association’s executive vice president. “For every 10 jobs we create in hospitals, another nine are created in the state.”
Other findings:
- Hospitals generated about $176.3 million in tax and fee revenue for state and local jurisdictions in 2013. Including taxes from businesses that supply goods and services to hospitals, the total rises to $452.8 million.
- Direct and secondary economic activity linked to hospitals contributed about $8.4 billion to Oregon’s Gross State Product.
- Rural hospitals play an outsize role in their communities, with relatively higher job totals as a percent of total employment.
Hospitals have also contributed $1.8 billion to communities without expecting compensation, according to the PBJ.
