In Nebraska, hospitals’ value extends well beyond health care services

A new study highlights the important role hospitals play in supporting a strong and stable economy. In Nebraska, hospitals directly employ more than 40,000 people and serve as a major source of private-sector jobs, or 8.42 percent of the state’s total employment, according to a report recently released by the American Hospital Association. Nationwide, hospitals in 2006 employed more than 5 million people, ranking second only to full-service restaurants.

Hospitals and their employees also purchase goods and services from other businesses, supporting additional jobs and economic activity in their community and across the country. In Nebraska, the health care sector supports nearly 80,000 jobs. Nebraska hospitals make significant economic contributions to the state’s economy—over an $8.8 billion economic impact, the study shows.