Friday, Sep 16 2011 3:22PM
Investment in health centers could substantially benefit rural communities through the creation of thousands of jobs, a GWU report indicates.
According to a report by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS), investment in community health centers could have a substantial impact on disadvantaged communities and create thousands of jobs.
The report finds investment in these health facilities could yield an estimated eight-to-one return on investment for medically undeserved communities, including rural areas, as well as develop numerous employment opportunities.
"These findings show that the impact of health centers extends beyond patient care and can be expressed in tangible economic payoffs for the communities most vulnerable to high unemployment," said Sara Rosenbaum, Chair of the Department of Health Policy at SPHHS.
Additionally, researchers discovered that the federal government has only funded 67 out of 800 health center expansion and new access proposals. Julio Bellber, president and CEO of the RCHN Community Health Foundation, stated the economic benefits of investing in community health center creation and expansion is considerable.