The sector lost 39,000 jobs in December, despite healthy gains in hospital and ambulatory care employment.
The healthcare sector, long a job-creating dynamo in the U.S. economy, shed 502,000 jobs in 2020, a casualty of the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing shutdown of nonessential services that left providers hemorrhaging money.
In December, healthcare added 39,000 jobs, including 32,000 jobs in hospitals and 21,000 jobs in ambulatory services.
However, those gains were partially offset by declines in nursing care facilities (-6,000) and community care facilities for the elderly (-5,000.), Bureau of Labor Statistics data show.
Since February, the hospital sector has lost 70,000 jobs, and the ambulatory services sector has lost 173,000 jobs. Nursing and residential care homes lost 264,000 jobs.
The healthcare sector employed 16 million people in December, down from 16.5 million in February. Healthcare accounted for about 11% of all jobs in the overall economy in 2020.
Overall, 2020 was not kind to the U.S. labor market, which recorded 9.8 million (6.8%) nonfarm job losses since February, owing to the widespread shutdowns created by the pandemic, BLS data show.
The overall economy lost 140,000 jobs in December, with the hospitality, private education, and government sectors particularly hit. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.7%.
John Commins is a content specialist and online news editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In December, healthcare added 39,000 jobs, including 32,000 jobs in hospitals and 21,000 jobs in ambulatory services.
However, those gains were partially offset by declines in nursing care facilities (-6,000) and community care facilities for the elderly (-5,000.).
Since February, hospitals lost 70,000 jobs, and ambulatory services lost 173,000 jobs. Nursing and residential care homes lost 264,000 jobs.
Healthcare employed 16 million people in December, down from 16.5 million in February, and accounted for about 11% of all jobs in the overall economy in 2020.