Cheyenne — A new report commissioned by the Wyoming Hospital Association (WHA) and its for-profit subsidiary, WHA Resources, Inc., provides an objective analysis of the significant impacts hospitals and nursing homes in Wyoming have on the state and local economies. The University of Wyoming’s Center for Business and Economic Analysis (CBEA) conducted the analysis and wrote the final report.  

Eric Boley, president of the Wyoming Hospital Association, said, “It is no secret hospitals are often the largest employers in our communities. WHA has long emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong and sustainable health care infrastructure for both the physical health and economic health of our state. The data show the impact is even greater than we thought.” 

Key takeaways from the report include: 

Hospitals and nursing homes provide over $1 billion in employee compensation annually. 

The direct value added to the State GDP is approximately $2.56 billion annually. 

Hospitals and nursing homes support over 32,000 jobs across Wyoming. 

Hospitals and nursing homes create over $79 million in state tax revenue and over $520 million in county, state, and federal taxes combined. 

While Wyoming hospitals and nursing homes are contributing over $1 billion to Wyoming’s economy, rural hospitals and long-term care facilities across the U.S. continue to close. Tim Thornell, WHA board chair and Cheyenne Regional Medical Center CEO stated, “This report illustrates the importance of hospitals in Wyoming — and the devastating consequences to local economies should one of our member hospitals or nursing homes permanently close their doors.”   

The analysis supports WHA’s continued advocacy and education on behalf of its members as well as partnerships with policy makers to protect Wyoming’s most vital health care and economic resources. The full version of the report is now available on the WHA website (www.wyohospitals.com), and free hardcopies will be provided to WHA and LeadingAge Wyoming members.