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NEWS RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
JENNIFER GUSTAFSON
(712) 336-8799 (W)
(712) 339-5754 (C)
[email protected]
LAKES REGIONAL HEALTHCARE CREATES $18.9 MILLION
IMPACT ON LOCAL ECONOMY
In all, Iowa’s Health Care Sector Provides 293,758 Jobs Across State
Spirit Lake, IA (March 13, 2015) - Lakes Regional Healthcare (LRH) generates 421 jobs that add $18.9 million
to Dickinson County’s economy, according to the latest study by the Iowa Hospital Association. In addition,
LRH employees by themselves spend $6 million on retail sales and contribute over $360,000 in state sales tax
revenue.
“The timing of this report is particularly significant as we remind our congressional delegates as they consider
health care reimbursement cuts,” said LRH President and CEO Jason Harrington. “We can’t minimize the
importance of health care organizations in the state and the positive impacts they have in their respective
communities.”
The IHA study examined the jobs, income, retail sales and sales tax produced by hospitals and the rest of the
state’s health care sector. The study was compiled from hospital-submitted data on the American Hospital
Association’s Annual Survey of Hospitals and with software that other industries have used to determine their
economic impact.
The study found that Iowa hospitals directly employ 71,324 people and create another 50,131 jobs outside the
hospital sector. As an income source, hospitals provide $4.2 billion in salaries and benefits and generate
another $1.8 billion through other jobs that depend on hospitals.
In all, the health care sector, which includes offices of physicians, dentists and other health practitioners,
nursing home and residential care, other medical and health services and pharmacies, contributes $14.3 billion
to Iowa’s economy while directly and indirectly providing 293,758 jobs, or about one-fifth of the state’s total
non-farm employment.
“Hospitals positively influence their local economies not only with how many people they employ and the
salaries of those employees, but also through hospital purchases from local businesses as well as the impact of
employee spending and tax support,” said Kirk Norris, IHA president/CEO. “Whether at the local level or
statewide, there are few Iowa employers that generate economic activity comparable to hospitals.”
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