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Healthcare

With the region’s largest employer being a hospital, it is no wonder that healthcare is one of the most dominant forces in the Springfield economy. The not-for-profit Baystate Health, located in Springfield, has a diverse workforce of over 12,000 employees as part of its integrated health care system serving over 800,000 people throughout western New England. With roots dating to the founding of Springfield City Hospital in 1873, the nationally-recognized Baystate Health has been providing high-quality and compassionate care to patients for more than 140 years. The largest health care organization in western Massachusetts, Baystate Health has several hospitals, its flagship Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, the region’s only level 1 trauma center, and three community hospitals – Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield, Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, and Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer. Baystate Health is also home to Baystate Children’s Hospital, the only comprehensive, accredited, full-service children’s hospital in western Massachusetts. In addition, the health system has a network of more than 80 medical practices, home care and hospice services, a comprehensive regional laboratory and diagnostic services, and Health New England, a health insurance provider. Long known for its academic innovation, Baystate is the area’s only comprehensive teaching hospital and UMMS-Baystate serves as the regional campus of the University of Massachusetts Medical School – training current and future caregivers to meet the regional health care workforce needs for years to come. Research funding of $14 million plus, including $9.5 million in federal funds, provides opportunities for Baystate researchers to conduct clinical, translational and health services research. A partner in the health of the communities it serves, Baystate has invested significant resources - $21.8 million in community benefits – to reducing health disparities and promoting good health for all.

Other hospitals in the city include Mercy Medical Center, part of Trinity Health of New England and Shriners Hospitals for Children. Trinity Health of New England employs 3,100 people locally and offers a variety of services at Mercy Medical Center, including housing surgical, oncology, hearing, radiology and maternity centers, and is consistently recognized for its high-quality stroke care. Shriners Hospital, a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, offers pediatric services including pediatric orthopedic, rheumatology and cleft lip and palate care using the latest innovations in diagnosis and treatment for ages birth through age 18.

The Springfield region is the home to a growing number of medical device companies as much of the manufacturing industry shifts its focus to the medical field. Area medical device manufacturing companies have a large market for their products with all of the activities at Baystate and other nearby medical centers. There are manufacturing companies that design medical products, including A-T Surgical Manufacturing making orthopedic supports, Texcel creating implantable devices and Marox Medical making orthopedic implants. Other area manufacturing companies provide goods for hospitals, like Covidien, which supplies a range of needles and syringes; Instrument Technology Inc., which specializes in creating a variety of scopes; Super Brush, which makes swabs and brushes, and National Nonwovens, which provides a multitude of textiles. Still others, like Apex Resource Technologies, Accelent/ Medsource, and MicroTest Laboratories provide medical design and testing services. This variety of companies creates a collaborative environment to produce finished products for the region and for export.

The healthcare industry is dominant in Springfield. The city boasts a quality care and active research hospital, numerous medical device manufacturing companies and a number of health insurance companies. About 30 percent of the Springfield-area population work in health care and educational services, while another 11.6 percent work at the area’s many manufacturing companies, including the over 300 companies in the area creating medical products. The local medical service options also keep the area’s workforce in good health.