Innovation is in the Detroit region’s DNA.
Building on a legacy of health care innovation, the Detroit region has become the one-stop shop for innovators, investors and entrepreneurs who want to lead the health care industry. With cutting-edge research and development facilities, state-of-the art hospitals, and unparalleled talent and manufacturing know-how, the Detroit region positions companies to develop new, sought-after products and solutions to meet medical challenges around the world. As Michigan continues to cluster its rich assets in the Detroit region, make no mistake – the road to health care innovation goes through Detroit.
“The Detroit region is a growing network of leading health care providers and cutting-edge innovators. This environment, combined with the availability of top-ranked information technology talent, provides a powerful foundation to grow our business and share the region’s health care expertise nationwide.” Jim Giordano, President and CEO, CareTech Solutions.
Exceptional Health Care Facilities and Businesses
The health care industry has deep roots in the Detroit region. In fact, more than half of the health care-related businesses in Michigan are located here. With more than 13,000 health care-related businesses and approximately 366,351 jobs in the region, the health care industry has an overall economic impact of $36 billion annually.
The Detroit region is home to several destination medical centers known for ground-breaking research, pioneering technology and exceptional patient care. Most have been locally, regionally, and nationally ranked as one of the 2018 – 2019 Best Hospitals by U.S. News and World Report for Adult and Children’s Specialties.
- University of Michigan Hospitals, Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak-Troy, and DMC Harper University Hospital, all based in the Detroit region, were ranked the three best hospitals in Michigan.
- University of Michigan Hospitals ranked 5th in the top 20 hospitals in the nation.
- Michigan’s best children’s hospitals are DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit and UM’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. Ranked at 3rd and 10th in the nation for pediatric specialties.
Top Regional Health Systems by Revenue
Hospital System | 2017 Revenue |
---|---|
Beaumont Health | $4.1 billion |
Ascension Michigan | $3.6 billion |
Henry Ford Health System | $3.2 billion |
Trinity Health | $3.2 billion |
Michigan Medicine | $3.0 billion |
McLaren Health | $2.7 billion |
Detroit Medical Center | $1.8 billion |
Hurley Medical Center | $414.8 million |
ProMedica Bixby Hospital | $111.7 million |
Largest Regional Health Care Businesses
Company | City | Type of Business |
---|---|---|
Diplomat Pharmacy Inc. | Flint | Specialty pharmacy |
Medcart Specialty Pharmacy | Livonia | Specialty pharmacy services |
InfuSystem Holdings Inc. | Madison Heights | Supplier of infusion services to oncologists and other outpatient treatment settings |
Rockwell Medical Inc. | Wixom | Biopharmaceutical company targeting end-stage renal disease and chronic kidney disease |
Cayman Chemical Co. | Ann Arbor | Manufacturer of biomedical research chemicals |
Ash Stevens Inc. | Riverview | Makes active pharmaceutical ingredients |
Asterand Bioscience | Detroit | Supplier of human tissue and human tissue-based research services to drug discovery scientists |
RTI Laboratories Inc. | Livonia | Independent testing laboratory, specializing in chemical, materials, and environmental testing |
Custom Biogenic Systems Inc. | Bruce Township | Life science equipment manufacturer |
Innovative BioTherapies Inc. | Ann Arbor | Develops implantable/extracorporeal devices in field of regenerative medicine |
Research and Development
With Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University, Oakland University, Wayne State University, the University of Detroit-Mercy and the University of Michigan all in close proximity, the Detroit region is a national leader in cutting-edge research and development. Michigan ranks among the top in the nation in research and development spending.
- In December of 2018, 2,771 industry-sponsored clinical trials were actively recruiting patients in Michigan. Michigan was the 9th state with the most clinical trials. Source: CenterWatch.
- In 2018, Michigan ranked 6th in the nation for the total number of patents with 5,296. Only eight nations surpassed Michigan in U.S. patents granted that year. Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
- For fiscal year 2017, the National Institutes of Health awarded more than $677.4 million to Michigan to fund 1,410 research projects, of which $594.6 million was awarded to organizations in the Detroit region for 1,218 projects.
- In 2016, the University Research Corridor spent $2.3 billion in R&D expenditures and ranked first in the nation for advanced degrees conferred for medicine and biological science
Research Awards to Michigan, FY18
Funding Mechanism | Awards | Funding |
---|---|---|
Research Grants | 1,263 | $581,768,336 |
Research Centers | 45 | $59,228,379 |
Other Research-Related | 217 | $60,873,094 |
R&D Contracts | 8 | $5,377,215 |
Total | 1,533 | $707,244,024 |
R & D Contracts in Michigan, FY18
Organization | City | Awards | Funding |
---|---|---|---|
University of Michigan | Ann Arbor | 4 | $4,576,498 |
Ash Stevens INC | Riverview | 1 | $794,164 |
Kelly Services INC | Troy | 1 | $24,553 |
IND Solutions | Ann Arbor | 2 | $42,000 |
Education and Training

Regional Institutions for Education and Training
Institution | City | Health Care |
---|---|---|
University of Michigan | Ann Arbor | Medical School School of Nursing School of Dentistry College of Pharmacy |
Wayne State University | Detroit | School of Medicine College of Nursing Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences |
Oakland University | Rochester | William Beaumont School of Medicine School of Nursing School of Health Sciences |
Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti | School of Health Sciences School of Nursing |
University of Detroit Mercy | Detroit | McAuley School of Nursing School of Dentistry |
Talent The Detroit region is talent-rich with professionals who have world-class training in engineering and the experience working with the exotic materials and high-precision tooling demanded by the health care industry. The same skills Michigan workers used to put the world on wheels help health care businesses innovate and thrive here.
In 2018,
- The Detroit MSA is the 10 largest health care workforce in the nation.
- The Detroit MSA is forecast to gain more than 36,000 health care related jobs over the next 10 years.
- The average annual wages and salary in the Detroit MSA for health care is $53,671.
- The Detroit region has the highest concentration of engineering talent in the nation and employs more industrial and mechanical engineers than any other metro area.
Regional Employment by Industry
Industry Description | 2019 Jobs | 2018 Wages |
---|---|---|
Hospitals | 136,689 | $76,846 |
Ambulatory Health Care Services | 130,481 | $61,717 |
Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | 59,302 | $40,558 |
Regional Employment by Occupation
Occupation Description | 2019 Jobs | Average Hourly Earnings |
---|---|---|
Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners | 108,948 | $48.28 |
Health Technologists and Technicians | 57,121 | $24.62 |
Nursing, Psychiatric, and Home Health Aides | 49,407 | $13.01 |
Other Healthcare Support Occupations | 29,288 | $15.67 |
Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Assistants | 4,266 | $22.74 |
Other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations | 2,323 | $31.49 |
Major Health Care Investment in the Region
2016: Beaumont Hospitals broke ground on an $160 million expansion that will include a 5-story patient tower and expansion of the emergency ad critical care departments.
2017: Henry Ford Hospital broke grown on an 187,000 square foot cancer pavilion. The project is expected to cost approximately $155 million.
2018: DMC’s Children’s Hospital of Michigan has completed the six-story $155 million patient tower. The new complex was constructed to expand neonatal and pediatric intensive care beds.
2019: Beaumont is set to build a $40 million mental health hospital in Dearborn with Universal Health Services. Construction will begin early 2019 on Oak Boulevard near Southfield Freeway.