business
Mass layoffs decline for ambulatory health care
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 3, 2012
The number of mass layoffs in the ambulatory health care setting, which includes physician practices, retail clinics and outpatient care centers, was low in September and October. And 2012 is on track to finish below 2011’s numbers, according to a report issued Nov. 20 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The numbers include incidents affecting at least 50 people at one company. The ambulatory care field had four mass layoffs in October involving 222 people and another four in September affecting 309 individuals. If the trend continues, the year would end with 79 incidents and about 5,666 people claiming unemployment benefits. This is an improvement over 2011, which had the highest number of mass layoffs in the ambulatory care setting in the past decade. There were 92 mass layoffs that year, and at least 6,291 jobs lost.
The bureau does not break down its numbers by occupation, but people who work in this sector said administrative staff tend to be more at risk for job loss than physicians.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/12/03/bibf1203.htm.
