Hospitals do more than treat those in need of healthcare. They are essential in the growth and success of a community. Jeff Cohen, senior vice president, Government Relations for HCA Healthcare, says there’s an overarching sense of comfort that community hospitals and care systems bring to cities.

“The decision to live in a community often comes down to two big factors – healthcare access and education. Hospitals and our clinician partners bring stability and opportunity to communities,” he says. “Healthcare is too often about the unexpected, the unplanned and, unfortunately, the unimaginable. The ability of our nurses and doctors to rapidly respond provides for a certain assurance and stability that both saves lives and ties together a community.”