Greene County Medical Center generated more than $25 million for the Greene County area’s economy in 2019, according to the most recent impact study by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA). The report also shows the medical center employees spent just nearly $3 million on retail sales within the county and contributed nearly $176,000 in state sales tax revenue.
“Greene County Medical Center is proud to be an important part of the economic engine of the county,” said medical center CEO Tracy Warner. “The jobs we provide contribute to the local economy, and the availability of access to high quality healthcare services is vital to the array of amenities necessary for economic growth.”
The yearly IHA study examines jobs, income, retail sales and sales tax produced by hospitals and the rest of the state’s health care sector, which includes physicians, dentists, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, other medical and health services (such as home health care, county health departments, hospice, medical equipment suppliers, etc) and pharmacies. The study was compiled from hospital-submitted data on the American Hospital Association’s annual survey of hospitals and with software other industries have used to determine their economic impact.
The study found that Iowa hospitals directly employ 77,990 people and create another 66,186 outside the hospital sector. As an income source, hospitals provide $5.1 billion in salaries and benefits and generate another $3 billion through other jobs that depend on hospitals.
Iowa has hospitals in 91 of its 99 counties; most Iowa hospitals are among the largest employers in their counties. And, according to the IHA report, hospitals are essential to local and statewide economic development. Companies that want to relocate or expand demand access to comprehensive, high-quality health care services.
The Iowa Hospital Association is a voluntary membership organization representing hospital and health system interests to business, government and consumer audiences. All of Iowa’s 118 community hospitals are IHA members.
