Healthcare workforce growth seen in key labor markets

The Q4 HWS Labor Market Pulse Index (LMPI), a quarterly barometer of local market healthcare workforce fluctuations released Monday, shows a 6 percent uptick in near-term demand for healthcare workers in 30 key U.S. markets.

According to the report, of the 30 markets tracked, demand was strongest in Dallas, Denver and Charlotte for the fourth quarter of 2011 and weakest in Miami, New York and Cleveland.


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Among the other findings for the fourth quarter of 2011:


• The strength in the U.S. healthcare labor markets rebounded notably, posting its highest value since the middle of 2010.

• Fiftteen markets of the 30 tracked by the LMPI showed signs of accelerated expansion (versus 14 in the prior quarter).

“We are bullish on the healthcare hiring outlook for 2012 for several reasons,” said David Cherner, managing partner of Health Workforce Solutions LLC, which publishes the HWS Labor Market Pulse Index. “First, there appears to be more confidence that the reform train has left the station and employers seem to be more engaged on workforce planning to meet future care needs. Secondly, a number of large hospital and health system construction projects that had previously been put on hold have been given the green light again over the last year, and a number of large scale projects already nearing completion will be coming online in 2012 and 2013.”

“On another positive note, at least for nursing, the supply side problems have improved,” added Cherner. “As (nursing researcher) Peter Buerhaus and his colleagues recently pointed out, the number of FTE nurses between (ages) 23-26 increased by 62 percent 2002-2009, and if this trend continues, the nursing workforce will grow markedly faster over the next two decades than had been previously projected.”

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The LMPI notes the top 10 metro areas for Q4 2011 healthcare workforce demand were:

1.    Dallas-Ft. Worth-Arlington, Texas
2.    Denver-Aurora, Colo.
3.    Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C.-S.C.
4.    San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif.
5.    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif.
6.    Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.
7.    Orlando-Kissimmee, Fla.
8.    Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.
9.    Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.
10.  Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash.