Traveling healthcare flourishes in spite of national economy
Healthcare Traveler
“According to the nightly news, the U.S. economy could be heading straight for a recession—or already is in one. While the prices of oil and gasoline steadily climb, housing values drop equally fast. The ripple effect from these circumstances is also making headlines as the cost of such staples as bread, milk, and eggs rises. Then, there is the fact that the average family holds $7,000 in credit card debt.
So, have you felt the budget crunch with your own personal finances? Have economic conditions affected where and how you select assignments? How has the healthcare travel industry fared during this finicky fiscal time? To answer these and other questions, Healthcare Traveler asked two industry representatives and one mobile clinician for their thoughts about any financial fallout and how to make the most of assignments today.
Record numbers
Throughout most of the 21st century, America has flourished. Until recently, homeowners happily watched their dwellings increase in value at record rates. Investors cashed in on Wall Street’s sustainable growth with only minor blips here and there. What’s more is that healthcare professionals of all specialties enjoyed a marketplace in high demand of their skills. So, what happened? The first signs of the economy unraveling came a few years ago when gasoline prices started to move upward. At first, there were small increases, but as crude oil prices began setting new records—quadrupling over the past 6 years—drivers dished out more dollars to fill their tanks. In 2006, the national average price for regular gas logged in at $2.62. A year later, that average reached $2.84 per gallon, and the latest figures from AAA show a national average of $3.39. (At press time, Californians were dealing with the highest prices in the nation for regular, at $3.80 a gallon.)
This progression has not always been subtle. Rather, the leap has at times been double digits—AAA reported a 19-cent increase over 2 weeks in February. ”
With such significant changes over a relatively short period, it is no wonder Americans are holding their breath to see what will happen next at the pumps. A recent national survey conducted for Parade magazine revealed that the price of fuel tops the list of people’s financial concerns (39%). Their worry appears to be well placed as industry analysts predict summer travel demands will drive the prices up even further.”
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