A recent study by the Iowa Hospital Association has revealed that the 404 jobs at Stewart Memorial Community Hospital (SMCH) in Lake City generate more than $19.78 million for the Calhoun County economy. The report also indicated that employees spend more than $2.4 million in retail sales and contribute more than $145,000 in state sales tax revenue. Stewart Memorial CEO, Cindy Carstens says, “As an organization, our vision is to transform our communities by providing coordinated care and exceptional experiences. This community transformation is also achieved through the economic impact that is generated by our organization through jobs and funds that are put back into our local communities.” In total, Iowa’s healthcare sector, including physician’s offices, dentists and other healthcare practitioners, nursing homes, residential care and pharmacies, contribute $16.6 billion into the state economy and provide just short of 325,000 jobs, or about one-fifth of the state’s non-farm employment.
