Springfield, Ill.-based Memorial Health is laying off hundreds of employees, including 20 percent of leadership positions, due to "current national and statewide economic trends."
The laid-off employees represent 5 percent of Memorial's total salary and benefits, according to a statement provided to Becker's. The cuts focused on the leadership, administrative and support sectors within the system.
Laid-off employees will receive a severance package and health insurance stipend. Some affected employees will be able to transfer to new roles. An exact number of employees affected was not announced.
Along with the layoffs, My Journal Courier reported that Jacksonville (Ill.) Memorial Hospital was closing its transitional care unit as part of the restructuring.
"This is a difficult decision that was made after careful analysis and implementation of other cost-saving measures. Memorial Health is not immune to national trends, such rising cost of supplies and equipment, high cost of labor and shifting trends in payer reimbursements," Memorial Health President and CEO Ed Curtis said. "We are committed to continuing to provide the highest quality of care for the communities we serve, and this action, while painful, enables us to focus on our core mission."
Memorial Health has almost 10,000 employees across Illinois.