Despite Rising Unemployment, U.S. Healthcare Industry Projected to Increase Job Rolls

Healthcare is one of the few sectors in the U.S. that is creating jobs now and is projected to add more jobs in the future.

The Unemployment rate in the U.S. rose to 10.2% in October as per the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The sectors which had the largest job losses were construction, manufacturing, and retail. Another 558,000 persons joined the unemployed rolls which now stand at 15.7 million in the U.S.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Healthcare industry added 29,000 new jobs in October. Healthcare is one of the bright spots in the economy for job growth since the recession that started about 23 months ago. The industry has added a total of 597,000 jobs since the start of the recession. The Healthcare sector employs nearly 13.7 million people in the U.S.

The BLS states:

“Before 1960, about 3 percent of private-sector workers were employed in heath care establishments. In recent years, the proportion of workers employed in private-sector health services has exceeded 11 percent.”

As America’s 78.2 million baby boomers retire in the next few years, they will require more healthcare services. In addition to the baby boomers, the general increase in population, technological advances in the medical field, increased stress levels among the general population and new diseases are going to create the need for additional healthcare services as well. Though healthcare is a highly regulated field, there will be plenty of potential for anyone interested in making a career in this field.

Comments

[TeresaE]

Michigan found that after 5 years in a recession, health care finally shed jobs too.

My doctor (and dentist) were complaining of shrinking customer base after a couple years in the recession.

Of course if the government takes it over, there will be more patients, which equates to more jobs.

Let's just hope that it doesn't end up like the UK, there RNs (equivalent) are paid so little they live in dormitories.

Unless we start creating wealth producing jobs, even health care will eventually suffer as millions find out the reality of having to spend 10% of your pay on insurance and not being able to afford to use it.

2009 Nov 10 08:09 AM

[MrsOSHA]

They live in dormitories while there ARE AT NURSING SCHOOL...which is paid for completely by the UK government. They don't live in dormitories after they get out of school, you idiot. they may live in flats with room-mates like many American nurses who are 21 or 22, since they go to nursing school right out of high school ("equivalent"). And most of the good ones leave England and come here. The Philippines sends their nursing students over to England for free govt paid training and then tells them "Move to the good ole USA!" For god's sake. You've been to England, I take it, and know ALL about their healthcare system. Thanks for spreading more garbage information on the trashernet. That's great. Fear mongering is spectacular. And if the government here DOES get involved in healthcare, then the 10% pay you're whining about won't exist anymore. Don't families in this economy deserve something? They've worked long and hard and if the government can help (better than they have since FDR) then let's DO IT.


On Nov 10 08:09 AM TeresaE wrote:

> Michigan found that after 5 years in a recession, health care finally
> shed jobs too.
>
> My doctor (and dentist) were complaining of shrinking customer base
> after a couple years in the recession.
>
> Of course if the government takes it over, there will be more patients,
> which equates to more jobs.
>
> Let's just hope that it doesn't end up like the UK, there RNs (equivalent)
> are paid so little they live in dormitories.
>
> Unless we start creating wealth producing jobs, even health care
> will eventually suffer as millions find out the reality of having
> to spend 10% of your pay on insurance and not being able to afford
> to use it.

2009 Nov 11 10:34 AM

[MrsOSHA]

AND your doctor and dentist were probably gouging the hell out of patients who were unemployed and who couldn't afford to come to their practices anymore. With a public option there'll be no gouging of unemployed, disenfranchised patients. Everyone (the all-holy doctors included) will have to tow the line and provide "health CARE" and re-evaluate their Hippocratic OATH and realize that you don't (or shouldn't) go into medicine for the BMW's or for your kid to go to Harvard. The medical profession in the this country (I am English but have been in the USA many, many years and am a naturalized citizen) is an obscene and hungry monster feeding on the misfortune and misdiagnoses of the less fortunate and less educated. It's about time America grew up and joined the rest of the world in offering their citizenry affordable, realistic healthcare.


On Nov 10 08:09 AM TeresaE wrote:

> Michigan found that after 5 years in a recession, health care finally
> shed jobs too.
>
> My doctor (and dentist) were complaining of shrinking customer base
> after a couple years in the recession.
>
> Of course if the government takes it over, there will be more patients,
> which equates to more jobs.
>
> Let's just hope that it doesn't end up like the UK, there RNs (equivalent)
> are paid so little they live in dormitories.
>
> Unless we start creating wealth producing jobs, even health care
> will eventually suffer as millions find out the reality of having
> to spend 10% of your pay on insurance and not being able to afford
> to use it.

2009 Nov 11 10:42 AM

[Ttnyasha]

I find it repulsive that someone who doesnt know the United Kingdom Healthcare sector claims that RNs live in dormitories. That is a blantant fabrication of the truth. RN is the UK are better off that the USA, and i know that for a fact as i am a RN trained in the UK now working as a Director within the Healthcare Sector in the UK. I live in flats provided by the Nursing School and they were not dormitories. I shared the 4 bed apartment with other RNs. I had my own bathroom and only shared the kitchen and lounge. I was also paind £395.00 a month in addition to having all my fees paid for by the government. My rent was so heavily subsidised that i was able to save most of my money to buy me a house when i graduated.

So please have your facts right as i dont have any debt to Nursing School and i am better off that those in the USA.

2009 Nov 18 01:25 PM

[medsearch]

The problem is, there may be more jobs created by reform, but they will be low-paying support personnel. In my segment of health care, medical sales, we have lost over 30,000 jobs in medical sales already this year, with huge lay-offs looming for many new companies. These jobs will never return. Learn more about the impact of reform on medical device sales jobs at www.gorillamedicalsale...

2009 Nov 18 03:34 PM