Penn Highlands Healthcare Stimulates the Southwestern Pennsylvania Economy
Penn Highlands Healthcare provides outstanding medical care to the residents of Pennsylvania while significantly fueling the economy of the commonwealth. According to the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), in Fiscal Year 2022, the eight Penn Highlands hospitals in Northwestern, Central and Southwestern Pennsylvania represented a total benefit of more than $1.8 billion to the Pennsylvania economy. This benefit includes $836.6 million in spending by the hospitals for goods and services needed to provide healthcare services and support hospital operations as well as employee salaries, wages and benefits. During Fiscal Year 2022, Penn Highlands Healthcare employed approximately 6,200 employees. In addition to the direct impact, the ripple effect contributed more than $991.2 million into the Pennsylvania economy through business interactions with other industries as well as the economic activity that results from the circulation of hospital dollars throughout the commonwealth.
Southwestern Pennsylvania Impact
As reported by HAP, in Fiscal Year 2022, the two Penn Highlands Healthcare hospitals in Southwestern Pennsylvania — Penn Highlands Connellsville and Penn Highlands Mon Valley — represented a total economic benefit of more than $320.4 million to the regional economy.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, the economic spending for Penn Highlands Connellsville totaled $34.2 million. Penn Highlands Connellsville has 332 employees. In addition to the direct impact, the ripple effect contributed more than $32.5 million into the regional economy for a total benefit from Penn Highlands Connellsville of $66.7 million.
During Fiscal Year 2022, the economic benefit from Penn Highlands Mon Valley totaled more than $129.9 million. The hospital has 1,116 employees. In addition to the direct impact, the ripple effect contributed more than $123.7 million into the regional economy for a total benefit from Penn Highlands Mon Valley of more than $253.6 million for the regional economy.
“At Penn Highlands Healthcare, we not only care about the health of our patients, we care about the health of our communities,” said Peter J. Adamo, Penn Highlands Southwest Regional President. “It is gratifying to contribute so significantly to the economic strength of our region. As we continue to navigate through the challenges that face the healthcare industry throughout Pennsylvania, we will continue to operate efficiently to maintain our excellent quality and patient satisfaction.”
Penn Highlands Healthcare continuously recruits new physicians and providers for Penn Highlands Connellsville and Penn Highlands Mon Valley. Since 2022, the health system welcomed 78 physicians and advanced practice providers in the Southwest region expanding services and bringing many new specialties such as neurosurgery and urogynecology to the region.
Penn Highlands Mon Valley recently opened the $3.8 million CNX Foundation Substance Recovery Unit. It is the only Level 4.0 inpatient substance withdrawal and treatment facility in Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette and Greene counties.
Both Penn Highlands Mon Valley and Penn Highlands Connellsville have introduced advanced therapies and state-of-the-art technology to provide an even higher level of care and greater patient satisfaction such as expansion of the brachytherapy program to include treatment of prostate cancer at Penn Highlands Mon Valley and the minimally invasive EnPlace procedure to help re-suspend a dropped uterus at Penn Highlands Connellsville. Penn Highlands Connellsville offers a Regional Center for Autism that provides families in Southwestern Pennsylvania with advanced educational and behavioral treatment; it is affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital’s Center for Autism.