Over the next several years, the contributions of Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) to the economic and health vitality of the surrounding communities are expected to grow due to the ongoing changes in the hospital’s healthcare system. For example, between fiscal years 2015 and 2019, Johns Hopkins Health Service (JHHS) has planned to invest almost $797 million in constructing new medical facilities and renovating existing facilities (Appleseed, 2015). The investment is expected to translate into jobs for residents in nearby communities. Most importantly, however, the investment will increase the capacity of JHH to meet the healthcare needs of the region and communities near the hospital. As a world-wide enterprise, JHHS continues to influence the world economy by offering quality and low-cost healthcare. Therefore, JHH is a major contributor to the transformation of healthcare into a key export industry of Maryland. Nonetheless, Shepard et al. (2013) reported that JHH faces the problem of surgical site infections (SSIs) that have the potential to increase healthcare costs and decrease hospital profits. Although the researchers suggested that JHH has the financial incentive to minimize SSIs, the hospital should anticipate increases in revenue if it focuses on the reduction of SSIs.
References
Appleseed. (2015). The economic impact of Johns Hopkins Health System. Retrieved from http://web.jhu.edu/administration/gca/EIR%202014/JHHS%20Report.pdf
Shepard, J., Ward, W., Milstone, A., Carlson, T., Frederick, J., Hadhazy, E., & Perl, T. (2013). Financial impact of surgical site infections on hospitals: the hospital management perspective. JAMA Surgery, 148(10), 907-914.
