A recent Iowa Hospital Association (IHA) study examined the jobs, income, retail sales and sales taxes produced by hospitals and the rest of the state’s healthcare sector, revealing the economic impact to our local communities. In west central Iowa, St. Anthony Regional Hospital has added more than $59 million to the economy. “St. Anthony takes great pride in the vitality of our communities,” says President and CEO, Ed Smith. “It is important that we attract and retain qualified professionals who are committed to being a part of our communities, raising their families here and sharing an investment in the future of our area.” St. Anthony has over 750 full- and part-time employees who themselves generate $19.2 million in retail sales and sales tax revenue. In all, the health care sector in Iowa, which includes physicians, dentists and other health practitioners, nursing homes and residential care facilities, pharmacies and other medical and health services, contributes $18 billion to Iowa’s economy while indirectly providing almost 343,000 jobs. This is about one-fifth of the state’s total non-farming employment.
