Florida hospitals generated $198.6 billion in total economic output in 2023 and supported nearly 977,000 jobs statewide, according to a report prepared by University of Florida researchers for the Florida Hospital Association.
The study examined 337 licensed hospitals in Florida. Those hospitals directly employed 348,085 full-time workers and paid $34.5 billion in wages, salaries and benefits.
The hospitals reported $97.3 billion in total operating and nonoperating revenues and $80.2 billion in operating expenses, according to the study.
When accounting for additional economic activity generated by hospital operations — including spending by suppliers and household spending by employees — total employment supported rises to 976,834 full- and part-time jobs.
Total value added to Florida's economy reached $104.7 billion, including $69.9 billion in labor income and $29.1 billion in property income.
"The latest economic impact numbers reaffirm the integral role Florida's hospital industry plays in bolstering our state's economy, creating and sustaining jobs that support families, and ensuring communities can continue to have access to vital health care services," association president and CEO Mary Mayhew said a news release.
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The association advocates for more than 260 hospitals or health care systems.
Hospitals also contributed an estimated $23.3 billion in taxes in 2023, including $2.78 billion in local taxes, $2.97 billion in state taxes, and $17.5 billion in federal taxes. The report noted that hospital value added accounted for roughly 6.6% of Florida's gross state product, underlining the sector's role as a major driver of the state economy.
Employment and economic contributions grew compared with 2021 levels. Total employment supported by hospitals increased 7.7%, while inflation-adjusted value added rose 3.4%.
Hospitals operated in 58 of Florida's 67 counties, with the largest total hospital employment contributions in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale region (302,105 jobs), Orlando (247,462), and Tampa-St. Petersburg (156,679).
"Florida hospitals are more than places of healing," said Randy Haffner, association board chair and CEO of AdventHealth Florida. "They are part of the fabric of our communities — creating jobs, supporting families, and strengthening Florida's economy while providing high-quality care."
The report was compiled by the Department of Food and Resource Economics, part of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
The data was gathered using an economic modeling system to estimate how hospital spending and employment ripple through local economies. It incorporated financial data from the state Agency for Health Care Administration.
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