In 2019, Liberty Regional Medical Center in Liberty County generated $107,174,240 in revenue for the local and state economy, according to a recently released report by the Georgia Hospital Association, the state’s largest hospital trade association. Liberty Regional had direct expenditures of almost $47 million in 2019. The total economic impact of those expenditures was $107,174,240 when combined with an economic multiplier developed by the United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis. This output multiplier considers the “ripple” effect of direct hospital expenditures on other sectors of the economy, such as medical supplies, durable medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. Economic multipliers are used to model the resulting impact of a change in one industry on the “circular flow’ of spending within an economy as a whole.
During the same time period, Liberty Regional provided approximately $6,362,400 in uncompensated care while sustaining 376 full-time jobs throughout Liberty and Long counties. When a U.S. Department of Commerce multiplier is applied to the jobs number, it is revealed that an additional 960 jobs are supported across the state due to the economic activity of Liberty Regional. The hospital spent $19,591,691 in salaries and benefits, resulting in total household earnings in the community of $39,181,423.
“Liberty Regional Medical Center is dedicated to providing timely, quality care to our patients and communities,” said Tammy Mims, CEO. “We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and treat anyone who comes through our doors. We are proud to partner with Liberty County to offer this care and ensure our communities thrive in terms of wellness as well as economically.”
Liberty Regional is a major component of the area’s economic strength. However, there are factors that impact the hospital’s ability to deliver timely and efficient care. One is Georgia’s high uninsured population, which was 13.4% in 2019 and the 11th-highest in the nation. The same year, 38% of all hospitals in Georgia operated with negative total margins.
“We are dedicated to ensuring our residents receive state-of-the art health care services,” said Mrs. Mims. “We provide quality care to every patient, regardless of ability to pay. This environment often puts financial stress on our state’s hospitals.”
Hospitals can cope with negative operating margins in the short term, but hospitals that are unable to realize and maintain positive operating margins will likely face closure sooner or later, which can be detrimental to the health and wellness of their communities.
According to Mrs. Mims, every community needs nearby access to a strong, vibrant health care system that will not only meet the health care needs of its residents, but also attract other industries and businesses to the area.
“Preserving access to health care is extremely important and we are the primary guardian of health in our community,” said Mrs. Mims. “A healthy community depends on the strength of its hospital, both financially and in treating patients.”
The hospital also recently announced a partnership with St. Josephs/Candler Health System (SJCHS), to provide life-saving stroke assistance in Liberty County and the surrounding areas via their Stroke Telemedicine program. Utilizing real-time audio and video conferencing, neurologists can assess a patient and communicate treatment plans directly with the local ER physicians, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Access to Telemedicine services is critical for stroke because time lost is brain lost. Patients presenting with stroke require immediate attention and expertise in this field of medicine, services which are rarely offered in rural hospitals. However, through the use of audio and video, this Telemedicine service adds a neurologist to the rapid response team at Liberty Regional, providing better stroke care for patients right here in our community. The patient can then then be transferred to Savannah for further observation and any additional needed treatment by the neurologist.
Southeast Georgia has a 16 percent higher death rate from stroke than the national rate. In fact, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in Georgia. Risk factors of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes are higher than normal and affect a larger percentage of the population in our state. Other factors that increase these risks are obesity as well as lack of exercise and physical activity.
Think “F.A.S.T.” if you suspect you or someone you know is having a stroke:
F – Face drooping or an uneven smile
A – Arm weakness, especially in one arm
S – Speech difficulty, such as slurring
T – Time to call 911.
If you observe any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately.