Dignity Health Inland Empire Hospitals Add More Than $1.4B to the Local Economy

Dignity Health – Community Hospital of San Bernardino and St. Bernardine Medical Center are proud to be major contributors to the growth of the Inland Empire. The presence of hospitals within a community supports the health of both its citizens and the economy.

A recent report released by the American Hospital Association (AHA) uses national data to demonstrate the impact a hospital has on its larger community. According to the AHA, nationally, every hospital job equates to 2.8 jobs in the economy as a whole because hospital employees use their wages to purchase goods and services which creates income and jobs for other businesses. As a result, by employing 3,085 people, the Dignity Health Inland Empire hospitals are able to effectively keep 7,121 jobs within the area.

Hospital payroll and benefits help to increase San Bernardino’s total labor income by adding $617M annually to the local economy. This translates to more than a $1.4B impact on the total economic output. Furthermore, seventy-four percent of these employees live within the County of San Bernardino. This means Dignity Health employees contribute directly to the local economy while contributing to the greater financial health and civic life of the San Bernardino communities.

Dignity Health – St. Bernardine Hospital President Douglas Kleam shared, “We are honored to be able to enhance our community by providing such a significant economic impact.  The fact that we can provide jobs for the people of our community and care for them, gives me a great sense of pride. It is an honor to serve this great community with great care and kindness at St. Bernardine Medical Center.”

In addition to the economic impact, Dignity Health’s Inland Empire community benefit support in the region totaled more than $58.6 million. Community benefit calculations include direct funding for projects, programs, and care. The majority of Dignity Health’s direct community benefit funds go toward funding patient care and programs for the poor and disenfranchised.

“When patients come to Dignity Health – Community Hospital of San Bernardino, they are amongst family,” states June Collison, Hospital President at Community Hospital. “We pride ourselves on providing compassionate care and enhancing our community through outreach efforts, such as our health education services, mission services focused on improving the lives of families, and programs focused on outreach to youth.  Our patients seek to be healed, and we do it with a dose of humankindness.”