The Economic Contribution of Hospitals
Issue Brief Illustrates
Hospitals' State and National Impacts
Most people understand the role that hospitals play in providing vital health care services to their communities. In 2011, America's hospitals treated 129 million people in their emergency departments, provided care for 526 million other outpatients, performed 27 million surgeries, and delivered nearly 4 million babies. However, many people do not know that hospitals also play an important role in the economy. Nationally, hospitals employ almost 5.5 million people, support an additional 10 million jobs elsewhere in the economy, and annually create more than two trillion dollars in economic activity. Hospitals are also an economic mainstay, providing stability and even growth during times of recession – an important message for policy-makers, the business community and the public.
The AHA has released an issue brief revealing the extensive state and national economic contribution made by hospitals.
Hospitals can calculate their specific impact on the economy in their state using a new AHA tool, created with consultant Tripp Umbach. The tool calculates the impact of a hospital’s day-to-day operations, construction projects, medical education and research, generating reports that can be combined to give a complete picture of the hospital’s economic value.