The healthcare industry added 19,745 jobs in February, with hospitals contributing 9,000 to that total, according to a March 9 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This is less than the industry's average monthly gain of 24,000 in 2017, according to the BLS. It is also less than the 20,600 jobs the industry added in January.
Hospitals showed the biggest employment growth in healthcare last month, adding 9,000 jobs compared to the 12,700 they added the month prior. Ambulatory healthcare services came next, adding 7,400 jobs in February.
Overall, U.S. employment rose by 313,000 last month, according to the BLS.