New report says Winneshiek Medical Center has a $25 million economic impact

A study just released by the Iowa Hospital Association says Winneshiek Medical Center has a $25 million economic impact on Northeast Iowa and Southeast Minnesota.

The study says Winneshiek Medical Center generates 583 jobs and the hospital employees spend $6 million on retail sales and contribute $361,000 in state sales tax revenue.

The Iowa Hospital Association 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. 

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.