Healthcare Sees Slight Increase in Jobs in January

While the U.S. economy continues to be in the throes of a nasty recession, healthcare workers can take solace in being one of the few industries enjoying slight growth in these tight times. Hospitals and physician offices have added 144,400 workers since December 2008 and 72,800 since the recession began in December 2007. Meanwhile, job unemployment pushed up to 7.6 percent from 7.2 percent in December. U.S. businesses have shed 3.6 million jobs since the recession began in December 2007.

According to Modern Healthcare, hospitals hired about 8,200 workers in January, a one-month increase of 0.2 percent, to bring hospital employment to 4.71 million. Physician offices added 7,000 workers last month, employment growth of 0.3 percent, for total employment of 2.3 million people.