The American Hospital Association has released a report on the economic impact of hospitals, finding 1 out of 9 jobs in the United States are supported by hospitals. The study, "Economic Contribution of Hospitals Often Overlooked," found that hospitals employed 5.4 million people in 2009, making hospitals the second largest source of private sector jobs.
However, the healthcare sector experienced the slowest growth rate for the year in June, with hospital employment declining by 4,000 jobs, or 0.08 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The following are 10 hospitals and health systems that recently announced plans to create jobs and nine hospitals and health systems that recently announced job cuts.
Creating Jobs
1. Marietta, Ga.-based WellStar Health System is planning to build a 112-bed, $125 million facility to replace WellStar Paulding Hospital in Dallas, Ga. The new hospital is expected to create approximately 300 new jobs. WellStar is also planning a new medical office building that will generate another 200 jobs.
2. Swedish/Issaquah (Wash.) Hospital is expected to create 1,000 jobs by next summer. The first phase of construction for the planned $365 million hospital includes a medical office building, which alone will bring in 450 new jobs. By the time the entire hospital structure is open to the public, projected to be July 2012, total job opportunities will have approached 1,000.
3. The new C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Von Voigtlander Women's Hospital, which will be part of University of Michigan Health System, will add 500 new employees by the time it opens in November.
4. Englewood, Colo.-based Centura Health has increased the number of its employed physicians from zero last year to 250 today. Denver, Colo.-based Exempla Healthcare is hiring 12 physicians each year for five years to add to its current 106 employed physicians.
5. A planned $110 million heart center project by Mount Carmel St. Ann's Hospital in Westerville, Ohio, is expected to create 200 jobs.
6. San Antonio-based Baptist Health System and The Woodlands, Texas-based Emerus expect their planned four new emergency hospitals to create approximately 160 new jobs in the San Antonio area.
7. The Connecticut House of Representatives' legislative approval of an $864 million proposal by the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington is expected to create 16,400 jobs and generate $4.6 billion by 2037. The proposal aims to expand the hospital's medical and dental schools and to build a new hospital on its Farmington Campus.
8. A redevelopment project by Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver may create 1,400 construction-related jobs annually and $340 million in labor compensation from now until the project's planned completion in 2014.
9. Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center recently broke ground on a construction project that could generate up to 1,000 new permanent jobs. The project could also create 1,400 temporary jobs, including those in construction.
10. Elyria, Ohio-based EMH Healthcare is planning to convert its EMH Amherst (Ohio) Hospital into a standalone emergency treatment center and skilled nursing facility this summer. Approximately 50 full- and part-time employees will lose their jobs, but will receive preference when applying to EMH Elyria Medical Center. Don Sheldon, MD, EMH Healthcare president and CEO, said the new nursing facility could create 80-100 jobs.
Cutting Jobs
1. Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island, N.Y., will lay off 60 employees, which could include 15-20 registered nursing per-diem employees.
2. Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health System is laying off 300-350 full-time equivalent employees, effective Sept. 30, due to financial pressures.
3. Arnot Health, which was formed last month, has announced 28 layoffs due to economic and operational challenges. The health system has also eliminated 33 vacant posts.
4. A New York appeals court has ruled that Health and Hospitals Corporation can move forward with its planned 144 job cuts.
5. The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas is cutting 350 jobs, approximately 250 of which were vacancies. The other approximately 100 hospital employees were laid off.
6. Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore will eliminate 160 clerical positions by the end of the year due to the transition to electronic medical records.
7. Lakeland (Fla.) Regional Medical Center will let go of 133 employees due to financial circumstances. In addition to the 133 job cuts, the hospital will be eliminating 144 vacant positions.
8. Twenty-eight full-time employees at St. Mary's Hospital in Streator, Ill., will lose their jobs due to service closings. The hospital plans to close its extended care unit, adult day services, audiology, supportive care and athletic training due to financial pressures.
9. Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, Md., part of Hagerstown-based Meritus Health, is eliminating approximately 15 positions due to campus consolidation.
However, the healthcare sector experienced the slowest growth rate for the year in June, with hospital employment declining by 4,000 jobs, or 0.08 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The following are 10 hospitals and health systems that recently announced plans to create jobs and nine hospitals and health systems that recently announced job cuts.
Creating Jobs
1. Marietta, Ga.-based WellStar Health System is planning to build a 112-bed, $125 million facility to replace WellStar Paulding Hospital in Dallas, Ga. The new hospital is expected to create approximately 300 new jobs. WellStar is also planning a new medical office building that will generate another 200 jobs.
2. Swedish/Issaquah (Wash.) Hospital is expected to create 1,000 jobs by next summer. The first phase of construction for the planned $365 million hospital includes a medical office building, which alone will bring in 450 new jobs. By the time the entire hospital structure is open to the public, projected to be July 2012, total job opportunities will have approached 1,000.
3. The new C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Von Voigtlander Women's Hospital, which will be part of University of Michigan Health System, will add 500 new employees by the time it opens in November.
4. Englewood, Colo.-based Centura Health has increased the number of its employed physicians from zero last year to 250 today. Denver, Colo.-based Exempla Healthcare is hiring 12 physicians each year for five years to add to its current 106 employed physicians.
5. A planned $110 million heart center project by Mount Carmel St. Ann's Hospital in Westerville, Ohio, is expected to create 200 jobs.
6. San Antonio-based Baptist Health System and The Woodlands, Texas-based Emerus expect their planned four new emergency hospitals to create approximately 160 new jobs in the San Antonio area.
7. The Connecticut House of Representatives' legislative approval of an $864 million proposal by the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington is expected to create 16,400 jobs and generate $4.6 billion by 2037. The proposal aims to expand the hospital's medical and dental schools and to build a new hospital on its Farmington Campus.
8. A redevelopment project by Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver may create 1,400 construction-related jobs annually and $340 million in labor compensation from now until the project's planned completion in 2014.
9. Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center recently broke ground on a construction project that could generate up to 1,000 new permanent jobs. The project could also create 1,400 temporary jobs, including those in construction.
10. Elyria, Ohio-based EMH Healthcare is planning to convert its EMH Amherst (Ohio) Hospital into a standalone emergency treatment center and skilled nursing facility this summer. Approximately 50 full- and part-time employees will lose their jobs, but will receive preference when applying to EMH Elyria Medical Center. Don Sheldon, MD, EMH Healthcare president and CEO, said the new nursing facility could create 80-100 jobs.
Cutting Jobs
1. Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island, N.Y., will lay off 60 employees, which could include 15-20 registered nursing per-diem employees.
2. Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health System is laying off 300-350 full-time equivalent employees, effective Sept. 30, due to financial pressures.
3. Arnot Health, which was formed last month, has announced 28 layoffs due to economic and operational challenges. The health system has also eliminated 33 vacant posts.
4. A New York appeals court has ruled that Health and Hospitals Corporation can move forward with its planned 144 job cuts.
5. The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas is cutting 350 jobs, approximately 250 of which were vacancies. The other approximately 100 hospital employees were laid off.
6. Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore will eliminate 160 clerical positions by the end of the year due to the transition to electronic medical records.
7. Lakeland (Fla.) Regional Medical Center will let go of 133 employees due to financial circumstances. In addition to the 133 job cuts, the hospital will be eliminating 144 vacant positions.
8. Twenty-eight full-time employees at St. Mary's Hospital in Streator, Ill., will lose their jobs due to service closings. The hospital plans to close its extended care unit, adult day services, audiology, supportive care and athletic training due to financial pressures.
9. Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, Md., part of Hagerstown-based Meritus Health, is eliminating approximately 15 positions due to campus consolidation.