Healthcare employment continued to trend up in September, adding 17,000 jobs, though at a slower pace than the average monthly gain of 33,000 over the prior 12 months, according to the Oct. 2 jobs report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Four things to know:
1. Total U.S. employment changed little in September, rising by 29,000, below the average monthly gain of 45,000 over the prior 12 months. The bureau also revised July down to a loss of 10,000 jobs and August down to a gain of 133,000, leaving the two months a combined 60,000 lower than previously reported.
2. Ambulatory healthcare services added 13,400 jobs and hospitals added 12,000, while nursing and residential care facilities lost 8,700.
3. Within ambulatory services, offices of other health practitioners added 6,700 jobs, offices of dentists added 4,000, outpatient care centers added 3,400 and offices of physicians added 1,100. Home health care services lost 2,300 and medical and diagnostic laboratories lost 700.
4. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.2% in September, with 7.1 million people unemployed. Both measures changed little over the month, and the rate has stayed between 4.1% and 4.3% since March.
