The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce recently completed a study of Hall County healthcare providers that concludes that sector employs 13 percent of the county's workforce with an average salary (according to the Georgia Department of Labor) of just over $59,000.
Included in the study were 366 providers in a variety of medical and dental services. The study concludes the community’s growing healthcare sector employs 12,500 or approximately 13% of the workforce in Hall County. The average annual salary of $59,000 per employee means healthcare providers in the county account for about $740 million in annual payroll.
.“Access to world-class healthcare improves the quality of life for residents in Gainesville-Hall County and throughout the region,” said Kit Dunlap, President and CEO of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce. “The quantity and quality of healthcare services available in Hall County allows area residents to have top-rated care close to their homes, families, and friends. Additionally, the indigent care by our healthcare providers has an immeasurable impact on our residents in need.”
Nearly 75% of Hall County’s Healthcare employment is concentrated in the City of Gainesville, with 249 healthcare service provider locations employing 9,430 and an estimated $557 million in annual payroll.
The largest provider, Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, has 4,628 employees and is ranked a ‘Top 50 Hospital in the Nation’ by Healthgrades, an independent healthcare quality rating service. The geographic study performed by the Chamber indicates NGMC is at the epicenter of a large community of physicians groups, specialty medical services, dental services, elder care facilities, and independent clinics.
“Northeast Georgia Medical Center is a significant economic engine for Gainesville and Hall County,” said Carol Burrell, President and CEO for Northeast Georgia Health System. “According to annual reports produced by the Georgia Hospital Association, NGMC provides an economic impact on our local and state economies that is greater than $1.75 billion, and we know the majority of that impact is made here in our local community and region. We take that responsibility very seriously – knowing that so many in our community rely not just on the healthcare services we provide, but also on our financial stability and economic stimulus.”
Other major providers by employment in the study include physicians groups such as Longstreet Clinic, Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Clinic and Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (a physicians group employed by Northeast Georgia Health System).
The study also highlights other growing concentrations of healthcare service providers in South Hall County, employing nearly 2,500 in Braselton, Oakwood, Flowery Branch, and Buford. Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton is a fast-growing center for healthcare services for residents on the I-85 corridor; the hospital is surrounded by a growing number of healthcare providers that have expanded their service coverage from Gainesville, Athens, and Gwinnett County.
A study by the Governor’s High Demand Career Initiative concluded that healthcare is one of the high-demand career fields anticipated to grow over the next five to ten years in Georgia. According to the Georgia Department of Labor, employment in healthcare services is expected to grow 2.8% per year and add nearly 140,000 jobs across Georgia through 2022.
Northeast Georgia Medical Center is developing a new Graduate Medical Education (GME) program to train physician residents after medical school. The first residents arrive in 2019, and NGMC anticipates as many as 170 residents by 2023. The GME program will have an estimated $66 million economic impact for Hall County.
Local institutions like Brenau University, the University of North Georgia and Lanier Technical College play an important role in developing skilled talent and professional training to fill the growing demand for healthcare professionals.
As part of the Chamber’s study of the healthcare community, it also interviewed developers in Hall County to collect their perspective on the impact of healthcare providers, employment and income on retail and commercial development:
Tim Evans, Vice President of Economic Development for the Greater Hall Chamber, facilitated the healthcare study, noting, “Quality of life and healthcare is a primary benefit of having a first-class regional healthcare center in Hall County, but there is definitely a halo effect of healthcare employment and income that benefits other commercial, retail and residential development in Hall County.”
Community leader and real estate executive, Doug Carter of Don Carter Realty said, “Our quality of life is improved in so many ways by our world-class healthcare services and the caliber of people that deliver these services. The growing healthcare community has been a catalyst for quality residential growth, the arts, philanthropy, and downtowns throughout Gainesville-Hall County.”
Frank Norton, Jr., CEO of The Norton Agency, commented, “Hall County has become North Georgia’s healthcare epicenter. The economic impact has rippled across the country’s fabric impacting commercial office space, employment, consumer spending, residential housing, senior healthcare, active adult living communities, and professional services.”
In Braselton, real estate professional and Braselton Town Council Member Tony Funari added, “The growing healthcare services community in Braselton is providing access to nationally acclaimed healthcare providers and related businesses. This is having a very positive influence in home buying, residential development as well as home values. We are experiencing tremendous activity from restaurants, hotels and new service businesses.”
