Business
Health sector employment continues to grow slowly
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 24, 2009
The number of jobs in hospitals and other health care facilities is increasing, but fewer were added in July than during the same time last year, according to the monthly employment situation report released Aug. 7 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Health care remains one of the economy's relative bright spots. The total number of payroll jobs declined by 247,000, but the health care sector added approximately 19,600 jobs. Out of this number, 6,200 were in physician offices. Hospitals added 4,200.
This continues the trend of the health care sector adding around 20,000 jobs a month since the beginning of the year. But it represents a decline from the 30,000 added monthly in 2008.
Unemployment also increased among health professionals, growing from 3.9% in July 2008 to 6.1% in July of this year. The overall unemployment rate is 9.4%.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/08/24/bibf0824.htm.