MHP creates $41.7 Million Dollar Impact on Local Economy
Mahaska Health Partnership
In all, Iowa’s Healthcare Sector Provides Nearly 325,000 Jobs Across State
MAHASKA COUNTY –Mahaska Health Partnership generates 431 jobs that add $41,755,147 to the Mahaska County economy, according to the latest study by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA).
In addition, because the jobs that are created by MHP, retail sales in the area for consumables are estimated to be $9,116,554 annually and an additional $546,993 in state sales tax revenue is generated. “We recognize our impact in the community as one of the top five employers,” said MHP CEO Jay Christensen. “As a business leader, we have made a commitment to be good community partners.”
The IHA study examined the jobs, income, retail sales and sales tax produced by hospitals and the rest of the state’s healthcare 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 72,008 people and create another 55,492 jobs outside the hospital sector. As an income source, hospitals provide $4.5 billion in salaries and benefits and generate another $2.3 billion through other jobs that depend on hospitals.
“Through the many changes in healthcare, there is one certainty: That hospitals and healthcare are vital to Iowa’s economy,” said IHA president and CEO Kirk Norris. “With nearly 325,000 jobs, healthcare is one of Iowa’s largest employers and hospitals remain, by far, the biggest contributor to that number. In Iowa cities and counties, hospitals are uniformly among the largest employers.
“As our political leaders in Washington, DC and Des Moines consider legislation and regulations that impact hospitals and healthcare, they need to keep these facts in mind. As providers of high-quality, low-cost healthcare, good jobs and economic stability, there is no replacement for community hospitals.”
According to MHP Board of Trustees Chairman David Langkamp, the current impact MHP has in this community is clear. “What is also important to realize is that the ongoing availability of state-of-the-art healthcare plays a key role in the decisions of businesses and individuals looking to expand or relocate to our community,” Langkamp said. “MHP is vital to Oskaloosa’s future economic success.”
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.
Mahaska Health Partnership, located in Oskaloosa, is a non-profit health system accredited by the Joint Commission. It is guided by its mission to provide exceptional customer service and health improvement, linking the science of medicine with the humanity of compassionate care. For more information about how Mahaska Health Partnership is making healthcare personal, visit mahaskahealth.org.
