Staff Reports
Florida hospitals were responsible for creating more than 900,000 jobs in 2015, according to a new economic impact study.
The study, completed by the University of Florida and sponsored by the Florida Hospital Association, found Florida hospitals were responsible for creating 901,674 full- and part-time jobs in 2015. The report also found hospitals generated nearly $128.4 billion in total economic contributions during the same period.
“Hospitals are the largest employers in many communities across Florida,” said FHA President Bruce Rueben in a statement. “Our member hospitals constantly reinvest in their communities and train new generations of health care providers.”
According to the report, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale region had the most significant employment with 294,613 jobs in 2015, followed by the Orlando area with 215,321 jobs, and the Tampa-St. Petersburg region with 153,287 jobs.
Miami-Dade County also led the state in terms of hospital employment contributions, with 143,779 jobs in 2015, followed by Hillsborough County with 82,567, and Orange County with 81,984 jobs.
“Florida hospitals are stable and consistent employers across the state, and their impact continues to grow,” according to the report. “In 2015, the total employment impact of Florida hospitals was 2.65 percent higher than in 2013, and value added contributions were 0.83 percent higher in inflation-adjusted terms.”
The state’s 317 private hospitals, according to the report, paid more than $19.6 billion in employee wages, salaries and benefits in 2015.
The analysis was conducted using financial data from the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration and the Florida Hospital Uniform Reporting System.
“The data clearly demonstrate that Florida’s hospitals are creating jobs and contributing to Florida’s economic growth. Since 2013, the number of full-time equivalent hospital employees has increased by 6.87 percent,” said Alan Hodges, the report’s primary author, in a statement.
