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Hospitals Are Economic Engines In Many Communities

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You rarely think about your local hospital until you or someone you know needs its services. But a spokesperson for the Wisconsin Hospital Association says not only do they provide healthcare, but hospitals are local economic engines.

Hospital Week is being recognized. Executive Vice-President Eric Borgerding reveals  how busy hospitals can be...

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"....53,000 people in our state on a daily basis had an encounter with their community hospital...."

There were 1.6 million visits to emergency rooms in 2012. Nearly 65,000 babies were born in hospitals in 2012, with 2,500 of them needing specialized care. Also that year, 1.2 million visits were by patients who were uninsured, underinsured or using a government health program.

But Borgerding says some people forget what kind of economic engines hospitals can be for a community....

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"....Wisconsin's hospitals employ over 100,000 people. Health care is one of the largest sectors by employment in Wisconsin as it stands, but hospitals are some of our largest employers...."

Borgerding says hospitals are the largest employers in 10 counties.

Borgerding says more people have insurance through Obamacare or other programs, and are seeking more care, yet at the same time compensation through programs like Medicare and Medicaid is being cut. He says over the last few years, more than $4 billion has been cut in Medicare reimbursements.

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