Who Are Our Health Care Workers?

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America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers

A physician wearing PPE administers a nasal swab test to an elderly patient, while another physician wearing PPE looks on in the background.

Who Are Our Health Care Workers?

Many of the nation’s health care workers are now on the front line of the battle with COVID-19. Who are these people putting their lives at risk daily to care for the millions who have contracted the coronavirus?

There were 22 million workers in the health care industry, one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors in the United States that accounts for 14% of all U.S. workers, according to the Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey (ACS).

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The health care and social assistance industry sector includes establishments that provide medical care in hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices, nursing and residential care, and social assistance such as family and childcare services.

In 2019, around seven million people worked at general medical, surgical or specialty hospitals; some two million at outpatient care centers and about 1.8 million worked at nursing care facilities.

Continue reading to learn more about:

  • Health care occupations
  • Health care workers by state

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