Ambulatory services accounted for 22,000 job gains while nursing homes reported 2,400 job losses.
The healthcare sector grew 22,000 jobs in May, nearly triple the 8,100 jobs the sector recorded in April, preliminary federal data show.
Hospitals created 2,900 new jobs, while ambulatory services accounted for 22,000 jobs. Nursing and residential care recorded 2,400 job losses, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday.
The healthcare sector has shed 476,000 jobs since the start of the pandemic in January 2020, with hospitals accounting for 84,000 axed jobs, and nursing homes accounting for 339,000 job losses. There were 15.9 million people attached to the healthcare sector workforce in May, BLS said.
The BLS report accounts for employment in mid-May and can be subject to considerable revision.
The larger economy saw healthy but unspectacular job growth in May, with 559,000 new jobs created. More than half of those jobs (292,000) were in the leisure and hospitality sector. State and local government hirings rebounded as well, with 53,000 new jobs reported, as school systems across the nation rehire teachers.
The nation's unemployment rate inched down by 0.3 percentage point in May to 5.8%, and the number of jobless people fell by 496,000 to 9.3 million.
BLS noted that the numbers are "down considerably" from April, but "remain well above their levels prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic (3.5% and 5.7 million, respectively, in February 2020)."
John Commins is the news editor for HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Hospitals created 2,900 new jobs, ambulatory services created 22,000 jobs, and nursing homes recorded 2,400 job losses.
The healthcare sector has shed 476,000 jobs since the start of the pandemic in January 2020.
There were 15.9 million people attached to the healthcare sector workforce in May.
The BLS report accounts for employment in mid-May and can be subject to considerable revision.