Dive Brief:
- The healthcare sector added about 53,000 jobs in October, according to preliminary data out Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Employment in the industry has risen by an average of 47,000 new jobs a month this year, compared to 9,000 a month on average in 2021, according to the BLS.
- Ambulatory healthcare service roles led the gains, adding 31,000 new jobs, alongside nursing and residential care facilities and hospitals, which both added about 11,000 jobs.
Dive Insight:
The healthcare sector fully recovered from early pandemic job losses in August. It’s also seen more consistent gains this year than last, particularly among ambulatory service and hospital jobs.
The industry’s 53,000 added jobs in October was down from about 64,000 in September, according to BLS data.
Hospitals have seen consistent job gains this year, adding about 11,000 jobs in October, compared to about 25,000 in September and about 16,000 in August.
Hospital job fluctuation through COVID-19 pandemic
Hospitals and health systems have grappled with burnout among their workforces throughout the pandemic, leading to staffing shortages, with many still spending more on contract labor to fill gaps, executives noted on recent earnings calls.
Offices of physicians, dentists and other health practitioners also added jobs during the month.
Medical and diagnostic laboratories were the only category within healthcare to see losses, losing about 3,000 jobs in October.