Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council study points to economic contributions

In an effort to refute arguments that expensive hospital bills are primarily to blame for high healthcare costs, the Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council has released a study to outline hospitals' economic impact. The council's 73 member hospitals added more than 216,000 jobs in 2007 and contributed $312 million in county residential property taxes from direct and secondary employees, according to research. The council's study also found that local hospitals created more than 93,000 jobs in their facilities, 12,500 construction jobs from capital improvement projects, and 110,000 secondary jobs through contractors working to support hospitals.