Study explores financial impact of Vinton hospital

VINTON - A new study by the Iowa Hospital Association shows Virginia Gay Hospital & Clinics generates 225 jobs that add $9.8 million to the Benton County economy.

Virginia Gay employees spend $1.2 million on retail sales and contribute $74,215 in state sales tax revenue, according to the IHA study.

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 economic impact.

The study found that Iowa hospitals directly employ 70,484 people and create another 67,247 jobs outside the hospital sector.  The hospitals provide $3.8 billion in salaries and benefits and generate another $2.3 billion through other jobs that depend on hospitals.

Over 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 329,793 Iowa jobs, or more than one-fifth of the state's total employment.