Saturday’s celebration of Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital’s recent expansion should provide a booster shot for the local economy — if, for no other reason, in feel-good terms.
    The health services industry continues to grow and we’re lucky in Hood River to have the region’s top player nestled in our midst.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the occupations estimated to grow the fastest in the economy are concentrated in the health care industry. For example, from 2004-14, total employment of medical assistants is projected to increase by 52 percent, physician assistants by 50 percent, and physical therapist assistants by 44 percent. Employment growth is expected to account for about 3.6 million new wage and salary jobs – 19 percent of all wage and salary jobs added to the economy over the 2004-14 period.

There’s good reason why Mayor Arthur Babitz recently identified our hospital (and the surrounding medical facilities) as a key ingredient of our local economy — now as well as in the future.

A recent report from the U.S. Small Business Administration finds that while most other industries are cutting back, home health care providers are still adding employees.

 Employment in health services will continue to grow for a number of reasons. The elderly population will grow faster than the total population between 2000 and 2010, increasing the demand for health services.

Advances in medical technology will continue to improve the survival rate of severely ill and injured patients, who will then need extensive therapy and care.

Examples of those medical technology advances can be found here in the Gorge. Hood River’s hospital is top notch in providing services in its family birth center, surgery center, diagnostic imaging center and infusion services.

The hospital has certainly come a long way since its early days as the Cottage Hospital, and the formation of the Hood River Hospital Association in 1924. The association guided the opening of a new health care facility — in 1932.

At the peak of the Depression, Hood River County received a brand new hospital. It happened thanks to partnerships fueled by an understanding of local health needs as well as a sense of hope and compassion.

In 2009, Providence evolves as an expanded, improved health care center, better equipped than ever to serve as a partner in compassionate care for the people of the region.