So is healthcare a cost, or a growth industry? Depends upon your point of view. If expenditures on healthcare are viewed SOLELY as a cost, then the best course is to try and eliminate ALL of these expenditures. This mindset leads to rationing, denial of care, limitation of benefits and access. If healthcare is properly viewed as a positive resource and growth industry, it takes on a different perspective. With this mindset, one can properly balance the positive economic impact derived from healthcare expenditures against excessive spending and waste, which is the case in all industries. The healthcare dollar covers a wide array of the population and provides income to employees across a vast swath of this economy. It is time to recall that healthcare dollars spent do not disappear from the economy, and are almost totally expended locally and domestically. The healthcare economy is not being shipped overseas, nor are the jobs it provides . . . jomaxx
Data indicate growth outlook for healthcare sector will be strong through 2016
The overall employment picture in the US continues to be dismal after employers shed about 2.6 million jobs last year, but the healthcare sector is one of the few relative bright spots. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare saw a net gain of 419,000 jobs in 2008, and its growth outlook continues to be strong through 2016. Last year, the number of registered nurses, in particular, grew the most, adding 168,000 jobs through November as hospitals and agencies tried to address a nationwide nursing shortage. Experts indicate that although healthcare employment is expected to continue growing this year, the increase will not be uniform. A survey of 329 hiring managers” conducted by CareerBuilder showed that the portion of large healthcare companies planning to increase the number of full-time employees this year is about equal to the percentage planning to reduce jobs in 2009.
read more @ http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090120-716545.html
http://www.bls.gov
http://www.careerbuilder.com