Pennsylvania Hospitals' Community Impact

Pennsylvania can’t have healthy, competitive communities without strong hospitals. Hospitals provide care and improve health, are economic anchors and job creators, and enable vibrant communities where people want to live and businesses can grow. 

HAP’s analysis of fiscal year (FY) 2024 data reveals that Pennsylvania hospitals delivered a $10.8 billion total community benefit and—both directly and through the ripple effects of their economic activity—strengthened their communities and the commonwealth by:

• Contributing $195.4 billion to the state and local economies
• Supporting 785,715 jobs for Pennsylvanians
• Generating $62.8 billion in wages, salaries, and benefits

Caring for Pennsylvania¹

Hospitals offer around-the-clock, high-quality routine and emergency care to Pennsylvania’s residents, and improve the health of communities throughout the state. Hospitals and health systems continue their commitment to ensuring access to high-quality person-centered care for all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.

During fiscal year 2024, Pennsylvania hospitals had:

• 1.5 million inpatient discharges
• 5.4 million emergency department visits
• 44 million outpatient visits
• 37,456 staffed beds
• 118,916 births

Economic Impact²

During the past decade, the industry's economic activity has increased by 70 percent.

During fiscal year 2024, the hospital economic impact represents 19 percent of the commonwealth's gross domestic product.

• Jobs: Hospitals generated $62.8 billion in wages, salaries, and benefits and supported 785,715 jobs; one of every 8
• Top employers: 56 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties have at least one hospital among their top 10 employers and, in 20 counties, a hospital is the largest employer.

Community Benefit³

During fiscal year 2024, Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems delivered nearly $10.8 billion in total community benefit:

• Charity care (financial assistance at cost)  $496,399,283
• Medicaid shortfall  $2,913,169,495
• Cost of other government programs  $295,103,114
• CHIP shortfall  $118,174
• Community health improvement services and community benefit operations  $294,814,946
• Health professions education  $1,233,542,694
• Subsidized health services  $936,913,706
• Research  $697,801,441
• Cash and in-kind contributions for community benefit  $178,549,773
• Medicare shortfall (including DSH and IME)  $2,731,815,699
• Bad debt  $998,447,465

Altoona/Johnstown

Includes Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Indiana, and Somerset counties

Total impact: $2.7 billion
Salaries: $783.8 million
Jobs: 10,166              

Lehigh Valley

Includes Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties

Total impact: $12.7 billion
Salaries: $3.8 billion
Jobs: 53,481      

North Central 

Includes Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Tioga, and Union counties

Total impact: $5.5 billion
Salaries: $1.5 billion
Jobs: 23,629  

Northeast 

Includes Bradford, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties

Total impact: $5.6 billion
Salaries: $1.6 billion
Jobs: 23,820  

Northwest 

Includes Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango, and Warren counties

Total impact: $5.1 billion
Salaries: $1.5 billion
Jobs: 23,324   

South Central 

Includes Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties

Total impact: $18.9 billion
Salaries: $5.6 billion
Jobs: 71,900

Southeast 

Includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties

Total impact: $52.2 billion
Salaries: $17 billion
Jobs: 216,753

Southwest 

Includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties

Total impact: $24.6 billion
Salaries: $6.0 billion
Jobs: 96,044