The results of a study conducted by the Iowa Hospital Association reports the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic generates 361 jobs that add $23.5 million to the economy in Cass County and the surrounding area.  The IHA study says also, that CCMH employees by themselves spend $5.4 million on retail sales and contribute $326,521 in state sales tax revenue.

CCMH CEO Todd Hudspeth said in a Press Release that “People are often surprised to learn how many people we employ and the size of our business.” He says “It takes a lot of patient care professionals to enable us to care for our community twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and even more staff behind the scenes.”

Cass Atlantic Development Corporation (CADCO) Executive Director Russell Joyce, said the “Cass County Health System has become major player in the area of “quality of life” that we market for our area. Having an up-to-date facility that is well staffed and equipped, along with an administration, plus a Board of Trustees, that looks to the future is a large part of growing a community.” Joyce added that there is an “Influx of younger families returning or relocating to our community along with retirees, both looking for a higher level of life quality,” and that  “We can thank our health care providers for helping make this happen.”

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 71,437 people and create another 57,792 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, Iowa’s health care sector, which includes employed clinicians, long-term care services and assisted living centers, pharmacies and other medical and health services, directly and indirectly provides 307,402 Iowa jobs, or about one-fifth of the state’s total non-farm employment.

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.