Phoebe Putney Health System generated more than $1.2 billion in revenue for the local and state economy in 2015 according to a recent report by the Georgia Hospital Association, the state’s largest hospital trade association. The report also found that, during the same period, the health system provided more than $56 million in community benefit while supporting over 8,000 full-time jobs throughout Southwest Georgia and across the state.
 
“Our top priority at Phoebe is, and always will be, to offer the best possible healthcare to everyone in southwest Georgia who needs treatment, regardless of their ability to pay,” said Joel Wernick, President/CEO of Phoebe Putney Health System.  “As we continue to provide world class care that keeps patients right here at home for specialized treatment, we are proud that Phoebe is our region’s largest employer and remains a major economic engine for our part of the state.”
 
The report revealed that PPHS had direct expenditures of over $545 million in 2015. When combined with the economic multiplier developed by the United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, the total economic impact of those expenditures was more than $1.2 billion.
 
This output multiplier considers the “ripple” effect of direct hospital expenditures on other sectors of the economy, such as medical supplies, durable medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. Economic multipliers are used to model the resulting impact of a change in one industry on the “circular flow” of spending within an economy as a whole.
 
“These are challenging and uncertain times in healthcare, but we believe our history of wise fiscal management and our strategic planning for the future will help us ensure people throughout our region will have access to the highest quality healthcare,” Wernick said.
 
Phoebe has partnered with other hospitals, such as Grady, in order to expand our reach and provide better, more efficient critical care and non-emergent transport between Phoebe’s facilities and others. It allows Phoebe to continue bringing world-class services to the people of Southwest Georgia.
 
While Phoebe remains a major component of the area’s economic engine, the health system, like the rest of the Georgia hospital community, is concerned about a wide array of economic challenges. Despite a tumultuous healthcare landscape, Phoebe has remained steadfast in their commitment to providing care for those in need, regardless of a patients’ ability to pay. In 2015, alone, Phoebe provided $56 million in community benefits, which includes charity and uncompensated care.
 
The PPHS hospitals included in the report are Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, Phoebe Worth Medical Center and Southwest Georgia Regional Medical Center. Below is the economic impact each of the hospitals generated in 2015 according to GHA:

· Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, located in Albany, generated a total economic impact of more than $1 billion on $472 million in direct expenditures. The hospital supported 6,802 full-time jobs in the Dougherty County area and across the state while also providing $45 million in community benefits, including charity and uncompensated care.
 
· Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus generated a total economic impact of more than $137 million on $59.9 million in direct expenditures. The hospital supported 905 full-time jobs in Sumter County and across the state while also providing over $8.2 million in community benefits, including charity and uncompensated care.
 
· Phoebe Worth Medical Center in Sylvester generated a total economic impact of $18 million on $7.8 million in direct expenditures. The hospital supported 323 full-time jobs in Worth County area and across the state while also providing more than $2 million in community benefits, including charity and uncompensated care.
 
· Southwest Georgia Regional Medical Center, located in Cuthbert and managed by Phoebe, generated a total economic impact of over $13 million on $5.6 million in direct expenditures. The hospital supported 342 full-time jobs in the Cuthbert area and across the state jobs while also providing approximately $1.1 million in community benefits.
 
Statewide, GHA said Georgia hospitals in 2015 generated nearly $47.8 billion for the state’s economy, provided more than $1.74 billion in uncompensated and charity care, and supported over 349,000 full time jobs.