Hospital’s economic impact is $40 million annually
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT of Grady General Hospital on Grady County is estimated to be nearly $40 million annually, according to the Georgia Hospital Association. Grady General Administrator LaDon Toole says that Archbold continues to invest in the local hospital.
The Georgia Hospital Association reports in its recently released “2009 Economic Impact Report” that the Cairo hospital’s local economic impact was nearly $40 million. The report uses the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis methodology, and points out the hospital has created or sustained 297 full-time jobs.
The obvious benefit of a hospital like Grady General is the care it provides during emergency room visits in the middle of the night, births of babies, and surgeries for loved ones.
The economic impact spreads out to include the people who work at the hospital, at physician offices in Cairo, or at companies that do business with the hospital. All of those people shop and conduct business in Grady County, making Grady General Hospital an economic engine that helps sustain the community and the quality of life for those who live here.
According to LaDon Toole, Grady General Hospital administrator, “Archbold is reinvesting in Grady General and these improvements to our physical plant and investments in technology will, hopefully, continue to help drive our success and provide a strong economic impact for many years to come. We’re also very thankful for the support we receive from members of our Hospital Authority, physicians, local members of the community, Grady General Support League, Ladies Auxiliary and our dedicated employees, whose efforts also have great impact on our community.”
Archbold Medical Center – which includes Grady General Hospital, Archbold Memorial Hospital, two other affiliate hospitals, four nursing homes and Archbold Health Services – is one of the largest employers and economic engines in southwest Georgia. Its regional economic impact was nearly $670 million in 2009, including the creation or sustaining of 4,718 full-time jobs.
Perry Mustian, Archbold Medical Center President and CEO said, “Beyond the economic impacts estimated in this report, there is another type of benefit to our community that we are dedicated to at Archbold, and that is our community outreach. In 2010, Archbold provided over $40 million of free or reduced-fee care, free health screenings, support of health careers education and other community support. It’s a critical part of our mission as a not-for-profit hospital to meet community needs, and we remain committed to that purpose.”
