BROOKINGS A new study conducted by the Center for Rural Vitality and Community Well-Being at South Dakota State University and commissioned by Brookings Health System demonstrates how the rural community hospital not only provides essential access to care for rural residents, but also drives the local economy.
The study, The Impacts of Brookings Health System on the Economy of Brookings County and Rural Health in South Dakota, shows the health system generated $56 million in 2024 alone to the Brookings regional economy in relation to wealth and job creation.
The study used data from 2020-24 Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages through the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the health system’s 2020-24 employment and payroll data. Research results showed that from 2020 to 2024, Brookings Health directly employed nearly 40 percent of Brookings Countys local government operated education and healthcare sector and supported 60 percent of the sectors payroll. When considering indirect ripple effects, Brookings Healths presence supported approximately 1,000 local jobs over the five-year period, accounting for approximately five percent of the countys total employment. Total payroll supported with the ripple effects for the same period equaled approximately $245 million.
Brookings Health Systems presence in our region is directly linked to our areas vitality and the standard of living for our regional residents, said CEO and President Jason Merkley. As this study demonstrates, by providing high-quality, compassionate, personalized health care, Brookings Health creates both employment opportunities in Brookings and access to necessary medical services.
Individuals interested in reading the full study can find it at brookingshealth.org/Impact.
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