May 07, 2016 01:00 AM

U.S. economy adds 160,000 jobs in April

Modern Healthcare

The U.S. economy added 160,000 jobs in April, underwhelming many economists, but the total would have been lower had it not been for the relentless hiring that continues throughout healthcare. The healthcare industry created 44,200 jobs last month, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That represented more than 1 out of every 4 jobs added in April. Through the first four months of 2016, the industry has added 161,900 people to its payrolls, compared with 137,300 jobs created over the same time period in 2015. If that pace continues, almost 500,000 people would gain employment in healthcare this year, which would be more than last year’s already robust total of 438,800 jobs.

The Food and Drug Administration has announced that, for the first time, makers of electronic cigarettes will be required to have their battery-powered devices and liquid-nicotine ingredients reviewed. Before brands are allowed to stay in the market, regulators will have to check the design, contents and flavor of the fast-growing devices, which have gained a foothold with teenagers. The FDA rule will also extend long-standing restrictions on traditional cigarettes to a host of other products, including hookahs, pipe tobacco and nicotine gels. Minors would be banned from buying the products.

Nursing homes are increasingly evicting their most challenging residents, including those with dementia or relatives who regularly complain. Complaints and lawsuits across the U.S. point to a spike in evictions even as observers note that available records give only a glimpse of the problem. Those targeted for eviction are often poor and suffering from dementia, according to residents’ allies. Removing them makes room for less labor-intensive and more profitable patients, critics of the tactic say. An Associated Press analysis of federal data from the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program finds complaints about discharges and evictions are up about 57% since 2000. They were the top-reported grievances in 2014, with 11,331 such issues logged by ombudsmen, who work to resolve problems faced by residents of nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and other adult-care settings.

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