More Healthcare Jobs in South Carolina

The unstable economy has caused many employers throughout a variety of different industries to layoff many workers. Rising gas prices, falling real estate sales and the national credit crisis are all working against business owners and making it more difficult to turn a profit. Lowering the amount spent on paying employee wages is one way that many companies are staying in the staying in the black.

Despite these wide spread problems in the job market, healthcare jobs continue to offer employers security. While the many industries throughout the country are doing away with jobs, healthcare employment opportunities continue to increase.

The Greenville Hospital System of Greenville, South Carolina recently announced that it will adding 550 new healthcare jobs over the course of the next year. Reflecting increasing need for medical services, the hospital system is creating the new positions in order to keep up population growth.

"If you had a new employer coming to Greenville that was bringing on board 550 new employees, it would be a big deal," said Doug Dorman, GHS' Vice President of Human Resources.

According to Dorman, these new healthcare jobs are in addition to the 450 new positions that were just created. This means a total of 800 new jobs for everyone from nurse and doctors to clerical workers and all other employees used to staff the five campuses.

Over the last year, GHS has opened two new hospitals; one at its Greer campus and one at Patewood. With the addition of the new jobs, GHS, which is the region's largest employer, would have a total workforce of around 9,300.

This staff increase will end up costing patients more. Patient's rooms will soon be going from $740 a night to $785.

"We had the same costs that you have at home," said Susan Bichel, GHS Vice President of Financial Services. "We have utility costs going up--other costs--all of our expenses are increasing as well."