Atrius Health, a 715-physician group based in Newton, Mass., laid off upwards of 50 nurses March 30, The Boston Globe reports.
There are conflicting reports on the precise headcount affected by the layoffs. Atrius Health said 58 professionals were let go, while the Massachusetts Nurses Association said 61 nurses — approximately 10 percent of the group's nursing staff — were terminated. A spokesperson for Atrius Health declined to comment on the discrepancy with Becker's.
Atrius said the affected employees worked for its centralized COVID-19 Resource Center, which the group is now winding down and integrating into its primary care departments.
"We are also reengineering our central support services and eliminating certain positions in these areas to better direct our resources to clinical frontline care," Steven Strongwater, MD, president and CEO of Atrius, said in a statement shared with Becker's. "Atrius Health is working to support affected nurses to return to open clinical positions within the practice wherever possible."
The layoffs come as Optum works to acquire Atrius Health, which is the largest independent physician group in Massachusetts. The deal is still under review by Massachusetts' attorney general.
"These redesigns are unrelated to our plans to join Optum as Atrius Health continually looks for ways to improve how we meet the comprehensive needs of our patients," Dr. Strongwater noted.