State group reports $88.3 million economic impact from WCHC

WASHINGTON — The Iowa Hospital Foundation released a report last month saying Washington County Hospital and Clinics had an $88.3 million-sized footprint on the local economy in 2024, as it supported 656 jobs and paid $42.7 million in wages.

The $88.3 million figure, according to the report, represented WCHC’s total expenditures in 2024. The medical institution also provided $1.5 million in “community benefits” that year, according to the hospital foundation, which said the term included wellness programs, outreach services and education efforts.

“We are proud that WCHC’s impact reaches far beyond our walls,” said WCHC CEO Todd Patterson in a press release about the finding. “Our team members are not only caring for patients — they’re fueling the local economy, supporting families, and ensuring Washington County thrives. These numbers reflect the real difference health care makes every day.”

The number continued WCHC’s upward trend of economic impacts over the last several years. In 2023, the IHF put WCHC’s total at $81.5 million.

On its own website, the Iowa Hospital Foundation said its data was based on numbers from the American Hospital Association, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Iowa Department of Revenue and Finance and federal agencies like the U.S. Census Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

In a press release from the hospital, WCHC said the figures showed a commitment to “responsible stewardship of public funds,” and that the hospital’s board had recently resolved to maintain a $1 per $1000 of taxable valuation levy for the 22nd consecutive year.

“At WCHC, our promise of, ‘More Than You Expect’ is not just a motto — it’s the way we approach health care and community investment,” Patterson said in the press release. “Since 1912, WCHC has been proud to care for Washington County, and we remain committed to serving our community with excellence for generations to come.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com