Connecticut hospitals contributed $17.6 billion in 2009 to the state and local economies - about 7.7 percent of the Gross State Product. They spend $8.5 billion each year on staff salaries, the purchase of medical supplies and food, as well as facility construction. These dollars in turn create a "ripple effect" of another $9.1 billion as they move through the larger economy, generating additional jobs and spending in our communities.