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Rhode Island Healthcare Jobs to Grow Rapidly

Posted on July 31, 2008

For the next six years, anyone looking for a Rhode Island healthcare job shouldn’t have too much trouble.

Healthcare has a long reputation of being one of Rhode Island‘s fastest growing industries, mostly due to an aging population, medical advances and new technologies.

According to an article from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, overall employment in the state is expected to increase by more than 55,000 jobs through 2014, with employment that year reaching 573,437 people, an increase of 10.7 percent from the 2004 employment of 518,145 people.

The state’s healthcare industry is projected to have 25,212 job openings through 2014, 52 percent from economic growth and 48 percent because of employee turnover.

Through 2014, 23 percent of new jobs created in Rhode Island are expected to be in healthcare. Employment in healthcare should reach 75,720 people, an increase of 10.6 percent from 2004. This is almost twice the growth rate expected for all industries in Rhode Island. Through 2014, above average growth is expected in ambulatory healthcare services, hospitals and nursing and residential care facilities.

Ambulatory Health Care, which includes offices of physicians, dentists and other health practitioners, outpatient care centers, medical and diagnostic laboratories, home health care services and ambulance services is projected to grow by 23.3 percent through 2014, adding more than 4,800 new jobs.

Hospitals, including private and state employment, are expected to add more than 3,100 jobs through 2014. Nursing and residential care facilities are expected to add 4,900 jobs, an increase of 27.8 percent.

The average annual salary for all healthcare positions is $37,899, while those working in ambulatory healthcare services make an average of $43,899, those working in hospitals make an average of $42,533 and those working in nursing and residential care facilities make an average of $24,999.

More than one-fourth of healthcare employees work as registered nurses or nursing aides, orderlies and attendants. It is projected job growth among those occupations will account for one-third of the industry’s new jobs. Many job openings are also expected for home health aides, social and human services assistants and medical assistants.

The healthcare industry’s fastest growing jobs include: home health aides, personal and home care aides, social and human service assistants, occupational therapists, medical assistants, medical scientists, physical therapists, registered nurses, dental assistants, dental hygienists, medical records and health information technicians and radiologic technologists and technicians.

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