The healthcare industry added 43,200 jobs last month, with hospitals contributing 10,700 to that total, according to the most recent jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Here are five things to know.
1. December marked a month of faster job growth for hospitals, as hospitals added 9,800 jobs in November, according to the most recent seasonally adjusted numbers.
2. Ambulatory healthcare services showed the biggest employment growth in the industry last month, with employment growing by 29,700 in places like physician offices (8,200 jobs), outpatient care centers (7,000 jobs) and home healthcare services (5,800 jobs).
3. Within healthcare, only one sector — "other residential care facilities" — recorded job losses in December, losing 1,200 jobs.
4. The healthcare industry added an average of 35,000 jobs per month last year, roughly in line with the average monthly gain of 39,000 in 2015, according to the BLS.
5. Overall, the nation's unemployment rate, at 4.7 percent, changed little in December and total nonfarm payroll employment grew by 156,000.
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