Economic Impact Report

The economic benefit of North Carolina hospitals and health systems on local and state economies is significant.

Ensuring the viability of North Carolina hospitals and health systems is critical to the health and economies of North Carolina counties and communities. To illustrate the scope of hospitals and health systems’ economic impact in North Carolina, NCHA commissioned RTI International to conduct research and develop a report based on 2020 data.

The report’s findings included that:

• Health systems and hospitals generated $40 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) impacts, or about 6% of total state GDP in 2020.
• Health systems and hospitals directly created 268,000 jobs, making them one of the 10 largest employers in 92 out of North Carolina’s 100 counties.
• 45 counties in North Carolina have a health system or hospital as a top 3 employer.
• Altogether, more than 500,000 jobs or 8% of jobs in the state, are supported by health system and hospital activities.
• Health systems’ and hospitals’ operations, workers and suppliers paid $2.5 billion in state and local taxes which sustained vital public services such as K-12 education, law enforcement and social services.

View regional economic impacts:

• 2022 Economic Impact Summary for NC’s North Central Region
• 2022 Economic Impact Summary for NC’s Eastern Region
• 2022 Economic Impact Summary for NC’s Southwest Region
• 2022 Economic Impact Summary for NC’s Central Region
• 2022 Economic Impact Summary for NC’s Western Region

Hospitals and health systems keep North Carolina healthy and economically strong.

In addition to providing around-the-clock care for all people, regardless of ability to pay, hospitals support their communities by:

• Employing staff, building infrastructure, and purchasing equipment and supplies
• Supporting other industries such as facilities, grounds and fleet maintenance
• Inducing additional economic activity in sectors such as real estate and financial services
• Educating and training the next generation of clinicians to care for North Carolinians
• Attracting billions in federal research funding for health care innovation
• Providing charity care to North Carolinians when they need it most
• Addressing community health needs and, absent a public hospital system, providing critical public health infrastructure to address emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic

Hospitals and health systems are economic anchors. They strengthen the infrastructure of local communities by attracting and maintaining businesses, workers and retirees.