The healthcare job industry showed steady growth last year, with no signs of slowing down in 2015, according to the 2014 Healthcare Jobs Snapshot, a report from Health eCareers, a career hub for healthcare professionals, providers, and associations.
As of January, federal officials reported almost 10 million people had signed up for health insurance or re-enrolled in their existing plans as part of the Affordable Care Act’s state and federal health insurance marketplaces. This decrease in uninsured citizens has significantly increased the demand for healthcare services, prompting providers ranging from small practices and clinics to large healthcare systems to add jobs in order to meet the growing needs of patients.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the healthcare industry grew by 25,000 jobs in October; 29,000 in November; and 34,000 in December. And hospitals, which had a net job gain of zero in 2013, added 47,000 jobs over the last year.
“Between changes resulting from the Affordable Care Act implementation, the aging boomer population, and the accelerating retirement of care givers, the healthcare industry has really had to pick up the hiring pace,” says Bryan Bassett, managing director at Health eCareers.
Report highlights:
- Healthcare recruiting, as indicated by job postings on the Health eCareers site, increased 47 percent year-over-year.
- The top 10 states for healthcare jobs in 2014 as illustrated by Health eCareers employer job postings were, in descending order, Texas, California, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington, New York, Illinois, Arizona, and Georgia.
- Physicians/surgeons and nurses remained the top areas of recruitment, though therapy, counseling, and social services positions saw significant year-over-year increases.
