Recent reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics have shown that, after reaching a low point and leveling off, hospitals are beginning to show strong growth in the form of thousands of new jobs added in recent weeks. One positive sign for the financial state of hospitals, is the news that Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic is preparing to add 1,800 new positions in 2010, after losing millions of dollars over the past two years. The hospital’s new positions range from physicians to RNs and other support staff. Cleveland Clinic is coming off of a year-long hiring freeze, which has been a sign of the times for many hospitals nationwide. The trend is not isolated to this renowned hospital. Other area hospitals also plan to hire on a large scale in 2010. More than 800 jobs are projected for MetroHealth System and University Hospitals of Ohio, including many doctors, nurses, and administrative staff, according to the article. Many economists eye the medical industry because healthcare is often the last sector to contract when the economy is bad, and the first to recover when the economy begins to expand. Therefore, this positive growth for hospitals may also signal improvement for other industries outside of healthcare. Additionally, although this particular report only covers one area, Ohio is a region that has been especially hard-hit by the recession. If this trend continues, expect to see similar hospital job growth throughout other hospital systems, across all economically-depressed regions of the country.