A study conducted by the Texas Medical Association says doctors and doctor's offices, not including hospitals or research centers, just private practice docs, have a $118 billion annual impact on the Texas economy, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
TheTMA's Dr. Carlos Cardenas says this impact includes direct employees of the doctor, as well as clinics, testing labs, and suppliers of medical equipment."Most of us don't think about physicians being small businenss owners, but they really are," he said.
Dr. Cardenas says, just like losing the local elementary school, when a small Texas town loses its family doctor, it is far more likely to shrivel up and die."
Health care is the major pillar of any community, and the major pillar and driver of what happens in that community," he said.