Renton, Wash.-based Valley Medical Center, a part of Seattle-based UW Medicine, reduced its workforce by 60 positions, or about 1 percent, to combat lower reimbursements, according to a Kent Reporter report.
Here are four things to know.
1. VMC eliminated its COO position and two vice president positions in the reduction.
2. Liz Nolan, vice president of marketing, outreach and wellness at VMC, told Kent Reporter the hospital witnessed a large patient volume shift beginning in August. She said the "rapidly changing volumes caused significant turbulence in our budget, and just as our patient volumes exploded, Medicare became our top insurance payer."
3. VMC said 42 of the 60 affected employees will likely move to a different position at the hospital. The hospital also instituted a voluntary early retirement and separation incentive program, the report states.
4. VMC will also close its Newcastle (Wash.) Urgent Care clinic, restructure its assistant nurse manager positions, consolidate clinic imaging services and streamline several business lines like supply chain, clinic billing and finance.