Healthcare employment rose in November

Healthcare employment rose by 17,000 in November 2011, according to a report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in early December.

Upward revisions to September and October employment figures added another 12,000 health jobs, changing the employment picture of October from a low growth month to an average growth month.

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Healthcare accounts for 10.8 percent of total U.S. employment.

More than half the healthcare job growth was in hospitals, which added nearly 9,000 jobs.

Other key areas of employment gain include:

• Physician offices - 3,000 jobs
• Outpatient care centers - 3,000 jobs
• Other categories of ambulatory services, including dentists, chiropractors and labs - 1,000 jobs
• Nursing and residential care facilities - 4,000 jobs

The one downtown came in the home healthcare services sector, which lost 2,000 jobs.