Having access to medical services is vital to any community’s quality of life. Enid is the medical hub of Northwest Oklahoma, whose reach also extends into southern Kansas. Enid is fortunate to be the home of two top rated hospitals, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, and Integris Bass Baptist, as well as numerous specialty services.
Having access to healthcare in Enid benefits the local economy in multiple ways. St. Mary’s and Integris are two of the top employers in Enid, with a staff of over 1,400 employees between the two institutions. As the regional medical hub, patients and their families come to Enid from miles around for doctors appointments. While they are here, they stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants and shop in our retailers which provides much needed sales tax revenue. A strong healthcare presence is also essential in the recruitment of new industries. When companies are considering new locations, they want to ensure that there is easy access to medical services for their employees.
Enid Regional Development Alliance will continue to collaborate with our healthcare partners to strengthen their ability to provide services for our region. Workforce development initiatives are a key component to the success of our healthcare sector and therefore we continue our focus on the recruitment and training of future healthcare professionals. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the growth of health jobs will outpace the growth in other fields with a projected increase of 15% from 2019 to 2029. A key aspect of recruitment is to grow our own by showing opportunities in Enid with current high school students and retaining graduates of Autry Technology Center, Northern Oklahoma College and Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
The healthcare industry is a vital partner in economic development and in making Enid a great place to live, work, and grow. Thank you to our healthcare employees for your dedication to serving our region and providing benefits that go beyond keeping our citizens healthy.
