The latest numbers by the Georgia Hospital Association are for 2011. NGMC also passed the mark in 2010, according to last year's report.
The medical center had direct expenditures of over $465 million for 2011, according to the hospital. The $1 billion mark is reached after combining the direct number with an economic multiplier.
The output multiplier by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis shows the so-called ripple effect of the hospital's direct spending on other sectors of the economy.
In other statistics from the report, the hospital provided over $47 million in uncompensated care, which includes charity and indigent care and bad debt. The number doesn't reflect community outreach activities, like screenings and education efforts.
Also during 2011, the medical center sustained over 8000 full-time jobs in Georgia in addition to over 5000 employed by the health system, according to the report.
"This new report shows that Northeast Georgia Medical Center continues to have a tremendous positive impact on our local economy. As we move closer to the opening of NGMC Braselton in Spring 2015, this economic impact will only increase," chairman of the Northeast Georgia Medical Center Board John Nix said.
NGMC officials said the numbers in the report reflect on the economic impact of hospital expenditures and not other services provided by Northeast Georgia Health System.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/8/264588