Each year, the Iowa Hospital Association publishes a report documenting the importance of health care to the local economy, and this year’s study illustrates how WCHC offers more to the greater community. The Iowa Hospital Association’s study compiles information on how Iowa hospitals impact the state’s economy using data from the American Hospital Association. The study projects how each hospital stimulates its local economy through jobs maintained, income paid to employees, total community benefits and the effect of hospital total expenses on total output in the state economy. Washington County Hospital and Clinics is credited for not only being a major contributor to the local economy but for making an impact of approximately $80 million in the past year. WCHCs impact is attributed to 302 total direct and indirect jobs tied to hospital operations, $42 million in direct worker compensation and income tied to hospital operations, and $80.32 Million total economic impact. Aside from WCHCs direct impact, caring for the county includes proper stewarding of public funding which WCHC has received through approved tax funds since 1910. With this in mind, at WCHC’s Board of Trustees meeting, it was approved to keep the tax rate at $1 per $1,000 valuation; a rate that has not been raised for 20 years.