Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
The near-term demand for health care workers in the Twin Cities metro area remained steady during Q4. Of note this quarter, Maple Grove Hospital announced an expansion that will increase their number of beds by almost 50 percent. Also on a positive note, PrairieCare is more than doubling its facility, adding 12 jobs in the new location.
On a comparative basis, the Twin Cities health care labor market held steady and inline with much of the rest of the country during Q4. Its Q4 LMPI score of 47.2 was up 3% from the prior quarter and slightly below the national composite of 52.9.
Q4 Workforce Announcements
Expansion in works at Maple Grove Hospital. November 30, 2011
Maple Grove Hospital is planning a $20 million expansion that will increase the number of beds by nearly 50 percent. The Pioneer Press reports that the facility’s directors approved the plan to add 40 beds to the hospital, which now has 90 licensed beds.
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/morning_roundup/2011/11/expansion-in-works-at-maple-grove.html
PrairieCare doubles size of Edina clinic. November 2, 2011
PrairieCare, a psychiatric and behavioral health services provider, is more than doubling the size of its Edina facility. PrairieCare will be adding about 12 more jobs to the Edina office after the move, increasing from about 18 employees today.
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/blog/real_estate/2011/11/prairiecare-doubles-size-of-edina-clinic.html
Hospitals and Health Systems

Source: US News & World Report
Education Program Expansion and Closures
No notable education program expansion and closures announced in Q4 2011.
Education Programs
Source: The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
Health of the Local Economy
Declining home prices may cause healthcare employees to seek additional hours from current employers, delay retirement plans and be more willing to relocate for a better job opportunities. Below is the Case-Shiller Home Price Index for the overall Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI market.
Source: http://www2.standardandpoors.com accessed 1/1/2012
Lower home ownership rates reduce the impact of home price fluctuations and increase the willingness of healthcare employees to relocate for better job opportunities. Below are home ownership rates for the overall Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI market.
Source: www.census.gov accessed 1/1/2012
The recent rising unemployment rates create new demands for health services. Higher unemployment shifts the mix away from higher margin procedures to more primary care in the emergency room and critical care for conditions that should have been treated early at a primary care physician. In general, rising unemployment also reduces turnover and engagement of employed workers, while low unemployment tends to increase intra market churn. Below are unemployment rates for the overall Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI market.
Source: www.bls.gov accessed 1/1/2012
Additional Factors Influencing HWS Labor Market PulseTM Index
- U.S. Census Bureau Population 3,229,878, #16 largest market
- U.S. Census Bureau Population #231 oldest market
- U.S. Census Bureau Population Growth 8.8%, #158 fastest growing market
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