News: 502k healthcare jobs lost in 2020

The healthcare sector shed 502,000 jobs in total in 2020 as a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing shutdown of nonessential services, HealthLeaders Media reported.

In December 2020, the U.S. healthcare system 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 of 2020, the hospital sector 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 2020, down from 16.5 million in February. Healthcare accounted for about 11% of all jobs in the overall economy in 2020. 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%.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in HealthLeaders Media. To listed to the ACDIS Quarterly Call titled The Art of Communication and the Value of CDI, click here.