Healthcare sector growing in Larimer County

Colorado’s Larimer County experienced greater growth rates in the health sector than the entire state or the United States in all years except 2005, reports regional economist Martin Shields. Health care, which typically provides workers with wages above the county average, has an important role in the region's economy as the fourth largest employment sector, says Shields. Stable population growth, low poverty rates, and relatively high percentages of insured individuals in Larimer County contribute to continued, steady growth of the healthcare industry, which is expected to grow faster than the overall Larimer County economy. A tight labor market and rising health care costs are potential obstacles to further growth, Shields warns, but expects the sector to continue to be a driving force in the near future. Healthcare and social assistance include employment associated with physical health, mental health, care facilities, and some vocational and rehabilitation services for children, the elderly, or people who are disabled.

2,900 - Jobs added between 2001 and 2005

24.6 percent - Growth rate represented by those 2,900 jobs

2,000 - Projected number of new healthcare jobs created in the next four years

13,303 - Estimated number of related jobs the health sector directly provides

$37,098 - Average healthcare wages – the second highest after manufacturing – just above the county average

28.2 percent - Growth of ambulatory health care, the largest and fastest expanding sector, from 2001 to 2005

24.4 percent - Growth of hospitals from 2001 to 2005

20.6 percent - Growth of nursing care facilities during the past five years

78.4 percent - Growth of medical and diagnostic laboratories (127 jobs) during the past five years

91.6 percent - Growth of home health care services (330 jobs) during the past five years

Source: The Role of Health Care and Social Assistance in Larimer County’s Economy, CSU Office of Economic Development and the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corp. Access the full report at www.oed.colostate.edu.

Economically confident

"This is a strong indication that our existing businesses are confident in the regional economy and finding enough quality workers, which is critical since they are our best hope for new job creation."

– Maury Dobbie, president and chief executive officer of the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corp., about the steady growth of the healthcare and social assistance industry in Larimer County, Colo.

Urban-sprawl bobcats

As homes, roads, and businesses expand in Southern California's Orange County, wildlife habitat is shrinking, says Colorado State wildlife researcher Kevin Crooks. Working with the U.S. Geological Survey and The Nature Conservancy, Crooks is studying how and where wild bobcats are moving in Southern California by tracking their movements with global positioning satellite collars. Bobcats are excellent indicators of habitat fragmentation in urban landscapes, notes Crooks, and bobcat populations decline as landscapes become increasingly fragmented. Early research reveals that bobcats are living closer to urban communities than previously thought and are exposed to a variety of mortality risks, including being hit by cars. Colorado's Front Range is also experiencing rapid growth and development. By studying the effects of urban sprawl on wildlife in California, we can better understand and predict how animals will be affected by such processes in Colorado, says Crooks.

Retrofitting energy solutions

Colorado-based Envirofit International Ltd. was recently recognized with a World Clean Energy Award in Basel, Switzerland, for its innovative practices in implementing broad-based energy solutions. Envirofit retrofitted thousands of dirty, inefficient two-stroke motorcycles across the Philippines with fuel-efficient engines that dramatically reduce emissions. Commonly used on motorcycle taxis in underdeveloped countries, the carbureted two-stroke engines represent one of the largest sources of vehicular emissions in the world, where the pollution from these vehicles kills thousands of people each year in Asia, Africa, and South America. In the small Philippine city of Vigan alone, the project created 15 to 20 local jobs, eliminated 3,000 tons of carbon monoxide, and saved 1.4 million liters of fuel annually. The Envirofit retrofit prototype was developed at Colorado State University's Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory in 2003. Envirofit has since become a major worldwide player in the challenge to produce energy efficiency alternatives.

Beefing up

U.S. beef exports to Egypt are on the rise, thanks to a new shelf-life study conducted by Colorado State University and the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Researchers studied the effects of frozen storage on color, flavor, protein, quality, and safety of U.S. beef livers, hearts, and kidneys. The study found harmless amounts of protein degradation, lipid oxidation, and overall rancidity of frozen livers, hearts, and kidneys stored up to almost 10 months. The study results prompted Egypt to ease shelf-life restrictions of U.S. beef products. U.S. beef variety meat exports to Egypt increased 48 percent from the same period last year, statistics show, a value of $17.4 million.